Spoke to Me
by DedicatedWallflower
Summary: They say she's crazy, the day her family died they say she sealed herself off. She never spoke another word. She's gone now, so lost in herself that even the strongest can't find her in the mess of her own mind. All I know, is from the moment I saw her, she spoke to me. Modern Day Kato. AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys,**

**I have some major crap going on my personal life, but I wanted to take this time to introduce the debut of my new story: Spoke to Me.**

**I am straying from what I originally thought I was going to do and am now in the process of creating something new, something I hope will blow all my previous works out of the water.**

**Updates for Spoke to Me will usually be weekly, 2,000-4,000 words long.**

**This means that Pieces of the Past is out of the updating schedule. **

**Spoke to Me is going to be another Kato relationship, but this one will be a lot different in many ways. Gale probably won't be the bad guy, and someone you all my have loved in the story Life's Puzzle… just a few hint hints.**

_**STORIES THAT I WILL UPDATE:**_

_**-Walk with Me**_

_**-Together We Stand**_

_**-Stand by Me**_

_**-Spoke to Me**_

_**STORIES ON HOLD (JUST FOR NOW):**_

_**-Pieces of the Past**_

_**-At First Sight**_

**So, without further ado, Love to all,**

**Dedicated**

**Summary: **All Cato Young wants is a normal life, all he wants is a loving family. Can someone who has lost everything help him get through the pain? His life is full of trials and love, and it now centers around one thing, Katniss Everdeen.

. . .

_They say she's crazy, the day her family died they say she sealed herself off. She never spoke another word. She's gone now, so lost in herself that even the strongest can't find her in the mess of her own mind. All I know, is from the moment I saw her, she spoke to me._

_. . ._

"Again" I growl, pushing back against the heavy bag as my trainers fist goes flying at my head. I take a moment to duck before swinging a perfect hook to the beaten down material, the horizontal spit down the middle stretches open the slightest bit more.

"Cato, that's enough for today" Brutus calls from the front desk where he works with one of the newest fighters.

"But-" I groan inwardly as he cuts off my words before they can slide convincingly out of my mouth.

"No buts boy, you've already been here since morning, can't avoid him forever boy" Brutus' gruff voice rings through the almost empty gym.

Darkness washes over me as I think silently of what exactly I will be going home to today.

Ever since I could throw a punch I've been down here from dawn to sun down, I guess as a kid it was just easier to run away from your problems not face them. Brutus gave me a chance to get away from the hell I called my life, I guess old habits just die hard.

Fighting I guess is the one way I can escape, sure it hurts, but what part of my life hasn't?

"Do your homework tonight Cato" Enobaria's smooth voice calls out from the back. Brutus gives a dark chuckle before yelling something about how I never do my work back.

"Sure thing En" I shoot her a charming smile, her only response is an irritated glare in my direction.

The wraps on my hands give way and pull off easily as I slowly pack my bag. I'm stalling, and sooner or later Brutus is going to catch on.

Fighting gives me the excuse to have black eyes, or bruised stomachs; no one questions where the bruises are from. Brutus is the only one that can tell which bruise is from what fight.

I've always had bruises, not just from the constant fighting of boxing, but the fights with my dad too.

When my mom died, everything seemed to slip away from the reality we lived in. I always knew, at least I think, my dad beat my mom. She tried to protect me from everything; I was a mama's boy so to say. When his first play toy died, he moved on to his second, me.

"See you Enobaria" I call out over my shoulder, looking back to see the rare smile she reserves for Brutus and I.

"Be good Cato" she calls back, her smile wavers and then disappears as soon as she thinks I'm not looking.

"Always am" is my only response as I swing my bag over my shoulder, leaving heaven for hell.

When I was little, I had this dream that one day my dad would come home with flowers for my mom, and they would hug like they used to. They would be happy again, my mom would smile, and my dad would laugh without the usual darkness that comes with it.

It was so easy back then to believe that that would really come true, that my dad could really change. You see, you grow up fast when it's the only option left. I guess seeing your mom beat to nothing every night doesn't help much either.

The night she died was the worst night of my life. I can still hear the screams in my head, I can hear her pained cries being mutilated by the beast I have to call dad. Her words were so garbled, and I couldn't help her.

I lost my innocence at the age of six. I was eight when my mother died, his beatings to me started shortly after.

At first they were softer, but as I got better at taking the pain, they became more and more unbearable. It's probably why I chose to train under Brutus, because the pain seems so surreal there. It's like it doesn't really hurt, not like my father's fist does.

The street lights blink and shudder as a van rolls silently by, I can make out their smirks as I walk home for the third time in four days. Dad takes my car when his doesn't work, which is pretty much whenever he's lazy enough not to fix it.

The dark streets play with the shadows in corners, casting their darkness over all who walk them.

Yeah, we live in a bad part of town; if I was anyone else I'm sure I would be terrified. Being a six foot towering beast made of muscle tends to keep people away.

The workout bag slung across my shoulders weighs me down as I turn to face the familiar street. The porch light is on and I can hear the drunken cries of my dad's friends. Another typical night for me.

My fists clench into tiny balls as I walk up the porch steps onto the concrete slab under our door.

The knob gives away easily with the slightest jiggle, I can hear the lock clicking out of the way and I step into the small house they gave mom and dad when they got married.

Trying to sneak past the men, I move quietly to the stairs, trying to escape before one can spot me.

"Boy, you home" comes the gruff still voice of my father. His graying blonde hair sticks up in every direction. Even drunk I'm sure he could take me. It's not often you get a father that won a national title in fighting.

I consider not answering, but think better of it and give him a quiet yes. I learned at a young age that fighting back just gave it to you worse.

There will be a day, I'm sure, when I'll snap, probably even kill him and send him on a trip to hell a few years early. But for now, I hang onto that dream, waiting for the right moment to attack.

"Where have you been all day" he growls, his fist comes into contact with my face when I fail to answer him quick enough.

"At the gym" I respond, narrowing my icy blue orbs to slits.

He gives me a snort before sitting back down.

"What are you still doing here? Go to bed" his voice is menacing, like I'm supposed to know when to go to bed and when not to.

The stairs seem to be miles high as I climb up them silently, only the sound of the partying below slips into my mind.

I sit on my bed, taking off the sweaty workout clothes for my P.J.s. I can shower in the morning.

Sleep encompasses me with gusto as soon as my head hits the thin pillow and once again I fall into a deep sleep, dreaming of the family I will never have.

. . .

I wake with a start, looking around my small room with a sigh. Just another dream.

I'm tempted to lay back down just to see my mother again. Instead I stand lazily, stretching with a small groan. Judging by the throbbing of my right eye, I would say his punch left a nasty bruise.

Walking slowly to the wall, I flip the switch up, momentarily blinded by the light it brings with it. Mornings definitely aren't my cup of tea.

I dread the moment when I have to tall all the teachers I didn't do my homework again, but their used to it by now. I've accepted the fact that a D isn't that bad, it's the disappointment that comes with it that is.

I walk to the window, opening it the slightest bit before pushing back the curtains. The fresh air hits me like a jet plane. The smell of whiskey and booze is swept away by the free carefree air that rushes in from the open window.

That's when I notice the truck in front of the abandoned house next to us. And then as I look closer, I can make out a small girl standing at her window.

She looks like she's my age, her dark brown hair tied up in a braid, and her satin creamy skin gives off an eerie glow.

One look and I'm enthralled.

**He said enthralled not in love with by the way, just to save the flames I'm sure to get off of that!**

**I really hope this gets a good response. It will mostly be in CATO's POV. This will help me with my original where I am currently writing as a male… it's hard to o for me.**

**I just want to say thank you all, so much for reading this. I hope that you will also take the time to review; they all count and help me get inspired and write quicker.**

**This was shorter than what I will work with for this story. This chapter is more of a prologue of sorts! **

**So once again:**

_**STORIES THAT I WILL UPDATE:**_

_**-Walk with Me**_

_**-Together We Stand**_

_**-Stand by Me**_

_**-Spoke to Me**_

_**STORIES ON HOLD (JUST FOR NOW):**_

_**-Pieces of the Past**_

_**-At First Sight**_

**Thank you all so much for your kind support through the time I am going through.**

**If any of you want me to read any of your originals I would be more than happy to stop and read! I love reading other peoples things too!**

**Love to All,**

**Dedicated**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok! I am definitely continuing with this story. The response I got from the first chapter was tremendous.**

**I am considering not having weekly updates and doing the every other day thing with shorter chapters.**

**Please consider this and give me your honest feedback.**

**Furthermore, I would really like to see at least half of you, if not more, review and give me feedback. I thrive off of opinions and help.**

**If there is something you don't like, please don't hesitate to tell me in a kind, civil way. Now, keep this in mind if you want to criticize: If your spelling or your grammar is incorrect I will not take your help into consideration.**

**Please REMEMBER to review kindly, I have never had any problems with my reviewers and I would like to start now!**

**I accidentally posted a chapter for another story onto this story, Stand By Me, Spoke to Me, they look the same… sorry for the confusion all!**

**Summary:** All Cato Young wants is a normal life, all he wants is a loving family. Can someone who has lost everything help him get through the pain? His life is full of trials and love, and it now centers around one thing, Katniss Everdeen.

. . .

_They say she's crazy, the day her family died they say she sealed herself off. She never spoke another word. She's gone now, so lost in herself that even the strongest can't find her in the mess of her own mind. All I know, is from the moment I saw her, she spoke to me._

_. . ._

One look at her and I'm enthralled, but staring comes at a price and almost as quickly as I noticed her, the curtains are drawn tightly over the window.

Her image stays in my mind as I make the long trek back over to my bed, flopping down with a loud sigh. Another day of school, another day of hiding; another day of hell. The only good that might come from this morning is my dad's hangover. The idiot will probably be too sick to move and I'll slip by him without notice, a feat I have yet to master.

I can hear his vicious snores. They reverberate off the walls, seeming to shake the crumbling foundation in the ground.

It's this type of day I live for.

Finally convincing myself push up out of the bed for a second time, I make my way to the bathroom with a strange happiness washed over me. My usually pessimistic outlook has significantly changed and I can't help but think it has something to do with the beautiful girl next door.

Her simple braid and ghostly skin haunt me through my shower and well into breakfast.

As I finish off my juice the rumble of my dad's distant snores cease and from somewhere upstairs footsteps resound through the house.

_Shit_

Grabbing my bag hastily, I scramble out the door just in time to see his hulking shadow lurking on the stairwell. If I'm lucky he didn't catch a glimpse of me at all.

Still breathing heavily I rush into the car, throwing it in gear much too quickly for the old thing. It sputters for a second before shaking to a faint start and speeding down the cracked pavement of the crumbling road.

The tape in the player plays one of my favorites, classic rock; Rod Stewart fills the silence with his simple raspy words.

The tapes always take me back to a better time. My mom and I used to listen to classic rock together. It's kind of ironic; a trembling, scared little woman could belt out the lyrics better than anyone I know.

I guess, in a way it was an escape for both of us.

I can remember what she always said to me when we listened to the music, her blue eyes would shine and for once she would give me her easy smile.

She would look me in the eye and declare with a loud voice that sparkled with intense admiration.

"_If Boston could make it out of nothing Cato, so can we. We may not have songs, but baby we have hearts"_

Then, she would kiss me on the forehead, and careful not to touch any bruises, I would give her a long hug.

Whenever I could hear her screams at night, or hear my dad's friend's laughter as they tortured her way past my bedtime, I would sing the lyrics of _You're in my Heart._

_You're in my heart, you're in my soul  
You'll be my breath should I grow old  
You are my lover, you're my best friend  
You're in my soul_

Now, my mom was never my lover, we always sang love, of course back then I was too young to know what lover meant anyways.

There were always things she kept from me, like the fact my dad shoved a four inch blade into her calf one night while he was drunk.

I didn't find out until her funeral, the mortician found the tip of the rusted knife embedded in her skin two years later.

Exhaling deeply, I pull into my claimed spot at school as the song ends.

I get the usual stares, I like to think it's the cool truck that earns me them, but as usual it's the bruise across my right eye. Enobaria will have a fit when she sees it tonight.

I don't like to admit it, but certain people, well I guess people in general tend to be afraid of me. I can't blame them, one look at me and I practically scream trouble with my bruises and swollen eyes.

I try to ignore it, but most days I just sit in the back, trying to talk to the guys that sit next to me, or declining the way overdue football and wrestling team offers. I only play one sport, boxing.

My worn out sneakers crunch the rocky gravel of the lot as a group of girls move swiftly out of the way like I'd bite them if they got too close.

"Hey man" my back stiffens as once again the hulking shadow manages to sneak up on me.

Thresh and I have been inseparable since birth. Our mama's raised us together; since she died Mrs. Reconwer has made sure I have things to get by, or a warm place to stay.

Thresh and I don't talk much, but we don't have to. We just do our own thing and save talking for later like Friday night ring rampage at Brutus' gym. There's something about fighting that brings people together.

I snort softly at the madness of my own thoughts, giving a what's up nod in Thresh's direction.

He makes up for my lack of words and gives my bruise a frown.

"Rough night" he asks in a carefree tone only Thresh could pull off.

"You could say that" I fake a laugh as a group of guys bump into us roughly. Everyone seems to think it's a game, trying to get the fighters to explode.

"Welcome to hell, we'll do anything to make your day less pleasant than it already is" Thresh grins at me, and I can't help but smirk.

We walk in a comfortable silence to our lockers at the end of the hall. Our class is so small that we practically got to choose our lockers at the beginning of the year. So naturally we went as far away from the other idiots in our class as possible.

"You know my mom's going to flip shit when she sees that bruise on your face" our conversation goes serious in a matter of seconds.

"I'll just tell her I got a fight" I shrug, playing it off.

"Man, my mom knows you haven't had a fight for three weeks now. Brutus is having a hard time lining up the next fighter with you, everyone knows that" I cut him off.

"It's not my fault I knock their weak asses out ten seconds after the buzzer" I growl, grabbing my books.

I'm rarely ever mad at Thresh, and if I am it doesn't last long, I take the opportunity and turn abruptly, leaving him still fuming with a dark frown etched across his face.

Just as I turn, my body hits something small, flinging it to the ground. To my horror, I am able to catch sight of her brown braid as she falls to the ground, dropping her books everywhere.

**This is the last of the short chapters; the updates will ALWAYS be Friday or Saturday depending on how my week goes hw wise. **

**Go to my profile and click on the poll, vote for the two stories you want updated frequently and you just might get an update on Wednesdays too!**

**If you reviewed this story, one I will click on your profile and read one of your stories that sparks my interest, and two you will receive a review on it, three you will receive a thank you!**

**Thatssss right A REVIEW FOR A REVIEW.**

**Love to All,**

**Do the poll,**

**Dedicated **


	3. Chapter 3

**So I sat down today and I told myself I was going to add to the chapter from last night, so I did. There is the last update for like 500 words and then it is all new stuff baby, 2,500 words of it too!**

**I also would like for you to tell me if you ever think any of my author notes are cocky, I hate to read other people's where they just sound like idiots expecting kind reviews and such. I understand that it is a REVIEW button, not a 'tell me how great I am' button. If anyone ever has a problem with my writing or notes TELL ME! I love it when my readers tell me things they don't like about my ANs. I want to make reading my stories an uplifting and great experience for you all!**

**Love to All,**

**Dedicated**

**Summary:** All Cato Young wants is a normal life, all he wants is a loving family. Can someone who has lost everything help him get through the pain? His life is full of trials and love, and it now centers around one thing, Katniss Everdeen.

. . .

_They say she's crazy, the day her family died they say she sealed herself off. She never spoke another word. She's gone now, so lost in herself that even the strongest can't find her in the mess of her own mind. All I know, is from the moment I saw her, she spoke to me._

_. . ._

If you haven't read the AN do it not please before reading.

I'm serious, now!

Her books splay across the ground as she eats it. Her body slams into the concrete flooring like a hippo on steroids. Her tiny body lays there for a second before she's on her feet, scrambling to pick up the mess of loose papers and books around her.

I'm shaken into action by a rough slap in the back by Thresh and I rush to help her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you" I apologize as I look at her, she stops picking up her books long enough to give me a hard glare. Hatred practically drips from her stare and I can't help but shudder a bit thinking of all the things she would probably love to do to me at the moment.

Thresh holds out his hand to the little firecracker. She doesn't even give it a second glance before pushing herself up off the floor.

"I'm Cato" I mentally curse myself for the completely awkward introduction, her glare doesn't falter as she turns on her heel headed in the opposite direction as fast as her short little legs can carry her.

"Damn" Thresh whispers under his breath beside me "She's got a spirit, and anger" he adds at the last second with his eyebrows raised.

"She's beautiful" I respond watching her retreating figure.

"Come on bro, you wouldn't be able to handle that one" he gives me a shove in the direction of our first class before I have the chance to argue back. In my opinion that kind of girl is perfect for me.

Almost as soon as my butt hits the cold plastic chair I zone out. Quite frankly I'm not even sure exactly what class I'm in at the moment, or the teacher's name for that matter.

At a young age I mastered the process of taking your mind somewhere else. When mom died it was the only choice, it was the only escape for me.

Now all I can think of the way her grey eyes looked at me and the beautiful cascading of the braid down her back. Just the thought of her beauty brings a soft smile to my face.

"Mr. Young is there something you would like to share with the class?" a sharp voice breaks me from my trance as the girl next to me gives me a sharp nudge that I return with a stiff glare. She gives me a devilish smirk before going back to cutting a piece of paper into crude scraps.

"No mam, there isn't" I flash her a charming smile. As the teacher looks away I elbow Clove back.

"What the hell Cato" he hisses under her breath as the scissors clatter to the ground.

"That is enough, Mr. Young, Ms. Detrix I want you out of this classroom. I will not deal with your shenanigans any longer" the teacher's face is bright red with anger and I can hear a rumble of a laugh coming from the opposite end of the classroom.

"Mr. Reconwer since you find this so amusing you can join your friends outside" I smirk at the idiocy of the teacher, sending us all outside at one time isn't a good idea.

"Brutus'?" Clove smirks as the door shuts behind us with a small click of a lock.

Thresh nods in approval and I shake my head with vigor.

"I can drive" Clove offers pulling her keys out of her black backpack with a grin.

. . .

"Take a break boy" Brutus growls, tossing the mitts to the side of the ring. Gladly I pull the water bottle out of my bag and squirt some of the lukewarm liquid into my mouth gagging on the warmth as it slides down my throat.

"Brutus" Enobaria calls from the front desk, handing some paperwork to him as he limps to her.

The man standing behind the desk is big, and I can smell the alcohol on him from where I stand.

"She don't talk much, but she's a real fighter. I guarantee you she'll win any fight she's put in" I look around for his fighter, my eyes resting on a girl looking at the pictures of winners from the past hanging on the wall behind the desk.

Her hair is out of her braid and back in a sleek ponytail, if I didn't know any better I would say it was Clove, but it isn't.

She seems to feel eyes on her and she turns around slowly, her eyes finding me. Immediately they narrow to tiny slits before she taps the big man.

He follows her gaze and looks at me for a second before he glares and turns to face me.

Whatever is going on, I don't like it.

Her eyes follow his gaze and land on me again, instead of a glare she gives the man a pleading look and tugs on his arm like a five year old wanting to leave church.

"That the guy?" he slurs, she just tugs harder begging him with her eyes not to do anything.

I stand taller as he makes his way to me, his shoulders heave with every step he takes closer to me. Without notice I'm flung into the ropes behind me, they dig into my bruises uncomfortably as he stares me down.

"You mess with my niece?" he growls at me, his unruly hair flies on a mess of swirls around his face as his head makes animated motions that I could guess are supposed to scare me.

"What are you talking about" I spit back, daring myself to look him dead in the eye.

"You knocked her over today in the hall, and she caught you staring at her this morning" the alcohol's pungent smell hits my nose and I gag at the rancid odor.

"Do you think I meant to knock her over?" my voice raises as I shove him off of me.

"What are you playing at kid" he hisses the girl strains to hear the conversation but judging by her distance she can't.

"Nothing sir" I hiss back with mock authority.

"Stay away from her or you'll have to deal with me" he growls once more before shoving me away from him and rejoining the dark haired mystery by the door.

She looks up at him with a hateful stare before turning back to Enobaria who gives her a weak smile.

"I can watch you now" Enobaria's sweet voice breaks her from her spell and the girl gives her a soft shy smile. AS soon as Enobaria turns to the rings her face turns back into the mask of indifference that, aside from the glare, seems to be her only real facial expression.

I listen to the two of them argue over which gloves she should use. The girl wants to use the heavier ones reserved for the best. Enobaria thinks she'll break her wrist. Nevertheless the girl wins and in seconds is beating up the bag with an intensity that can only come from a true fighter.

I've only ever seen one other fighter with such a passion that comes out through the punches. Old Rough n' Tough Everdeen was the last of his kind, no one knew his real name during his actual career, but two years after his last fight news of a shooting reached the public eye. Jeff Everdeen and his wife and daughter were killed, the only survivor was his eleven year old daughter, she was shot in the stomach. They say it was a miracle that she survived. She just disappeared one day, no one knows where.

Rough n' Tough was my hero, I watched him from the age of four on. He was gentle off the ring, but once he stepped into the roped in pen he was a ruthless fighter.

I used to tell my mom that when I grew up I was going to be Rough n' Tough Young, the best fighter in the 47 states. I guess she thought it was cute that I didn't know there were 50 states. My first grade teacher was the first to correct me on the matter. I didn't speak to my mom for a full day, after all, she was the reason I looked like a fool in front of the entire class. It was like social suicide back then.

"Good Katniss" I can hear Enobaria encouraging the girl, Katniss I guess.

"We going to train today, boy?" I grin at Brutus as he shuffles under the ropes, his limp more prominent than ever.

"Hit me up" I challenge back as he puts on the worn in mitts, giving me a playful smack in the head for good measure.

Throughout training I can hear Enobaria's yell's, pushing Katniss harder and harder. She doesn't seem to falter in her skills and her punches land perfectly wherever she throws them. My distraction only seems to get me in trouble at least once every five minutes Brutus hits me with a light punch to the body or head.

"Going to havta set up separate training times for the two of you" Brutus murmurs between deeps breaths as he ducks out of the ring after telling me to go home.

I laugh darkly in agreement, Katniss hasn't even given me a second glance throughout her training, not that I was looking too closely at her either.

A few minutes pass and the smacks of the gloves on mitts stop and I brace myself for the interaction I'm praying will happen.

She makes her way through the rows of bags, and maze of rings before she stops short upon seeing me.

"Hey" I call out as she starts to turn the other direction, her body language screams her discomfort.

She slowly turns back, her eyes narrowing as she does.

"I'm sorry about earlier, my friends a real idiot, that's why I was in such a hurry. Name's Cato, and you are?" I take a step closer and she takes one back like a wounded, scared puppy in trouble.

Her eyes dart to the ground, looking anywhere but at me with a strange determination. She opens her mouth, and then, as if she thought better of it shuts her mouth again.

_She don't talk much, but she's a real fighter._ My mind recalls her uncle's words to Brutus.

"You can always write it down for me, I have a pen in my bag" I smile, trying to be sensitive to her feelings.

When my mom died I cried for days, I didn't even speak to anyone for a month after. Even Thresh couldn't get me to talk to him.

She gives me a smile, probably happy I'm not making her talk, and takes the pen I quickly fish out of my backpack.

She takes my hand in her two tiny ones and writes in perfectly scrawled handwriting, Katniss Abernathy.

I give her a nod and a smile as she turns and flits back to where her uncle waits with a scowl by the door.

. . .

I walk home again, but I don't go straight home, my feet walk a path they know so well. I know in my heart I don't want to go, but my feet still continue down their set path.

I drop to my knees next to the large stone, my fingers running over the indentions in the stalwart rock.

_Marie Young_

I will myself not to remember, trying to send away the horrible memories of that wretched night.

"_You stupid bitch" I wince as the frying pan hits her head, I try to go to her but he keeps me away, telling me to go to my room._

"_Cato, go to your room sweetie, mommy will be in to tuck you in in a while" I can see the pleading in her eyes, I don't understand what she did wrong this time, the meat wasn't even that burnt._

_As I walk slowly to my room I hear her faint pleas, they fall on deaf ears as a slap resounds off her cheek._

"_Did you honestly think you could buy plane tickets with my card and not get caught, you stupid whore, were you going to go crying back to mommy, tell everyone what I did to you. Were you going to tell everyone how I hit you and made you feel like the worthless piece of crap you are? You know what's funny? They wouldn't have believed you. They would have laughed, called you crazy, taken your precious boy away. But you know what you aren't going to get another chance; you have caused me enough trouble to last a lifetime." I can hear the knife drawer open, and before I can think I'm flying back around the corner._

_Her eyes widen as she sees me._

"_Cato, no" she shrieks, her blonde hair flies wildly as she tries to free herself from the monster holding her down._

"_Let the boy see what happens to people who lie" the monster bellows holding the knife above her._

_The next few seconds seem like eternity as it plunges into her, tearing the life right out from under her feet._

"_Mommy" I scream for her, pushing him away with my little eight year old hands as my dad laughs like an idiot._

"_Cato, its ok baby" she comforts me as I stroke her hair "If Boston could make it out of nothing, so can you, you may not have a voice, but baby you have a soul" she whispers as her eyes close and she breathes her last._

_The tears fall free around me as I beg her to come back, how can someone do that to another person?_

My mom died in my arms, and without her, life seems so pointless. My mom meant everything to me, and she was ripped straight from my life.

**So, that was a real update was it not? I feel a lot better after that. I don't quite like the style funk I am in with this story and it may just be the whole writing as a guy thing, but whatever.**

**I just want to let you know that I will be caught up with the whole thank you thing by next Friday. This weekend has been crazy for me so I will be caught up by next week.**

**A big thank you to all of you for your kind words and help through my tough times, it really does mean so much even if you all are complete strangers!**

**Follow me on twitter, I promise I don't tweet about drama in my life, only my stories: at IamDedicated**

**Love to All,**

**Dedicated**


	4. Chapter 4

**Wow, so I must have eaten something tonight, I expected it to be at least one in the morning before I got this anywhere close to done. I had maybe 100 words written last night, but I decided not to post because it was a quiet night, one of those ones that no one is reviewing and instead of 100 readers in the first hour you get like 20. So that is my horrible excuse for not updating last night, please forgive me!**

**I am so incredibly blessed to have each and every one of you amazing readers and I cannot thank you enough.**

**I have dramatically changed Cato's character and my style for this chapter; I'm just trying something new! I hope you all like it! Please don't hesitate to tell me in your review!**

_**CONTEST: I am holding a contest for my new OC that will come into play however you want it! **_

_**Tell me in the review to enter:**_

_**1: How old 15-17, 18-20, 21-25, do you think I am? I ask this only so I can see what maturity you all think my writing is; if you guess wrong it will not affect your contest entry.**_

_**2: Chose a song for two chapters, one for each it does not matter which chapters you do and relate it to the fiction!**_

_**3: Who is Fo in my story and who is she in the real hunger games?**_

_**Put these in your entry, you can PM them or review them. I prefer review because I can look at them all at once and print them together while I consider them.**_

_**If you win you will get to create your own OC that will have a big effect on Kat's ability to speak again!**_

**I will be caught up on Review4Review by next weekend, I know and I have a written list of the people I still have to get to!**

**Love to All,**

**Dedicated**

**Summary: **All Cato Young wants is a normal life, all he wants is a loving family. Can someone who has lost everything help him get through the pain? His life is full of trials and love, and it now centers around one thing, Katniss Everdeen.

. . .

_They say she's crazy, the day her family died they say she sealed herself off. She never spoke another word. She's gone now, so lost in herself that even the strongest can't find her in the mess of her own mind. All I know, is from the moment I saw her, she spoke to me._

_. . ._

Please read the contest.

I don't know how long I sit in front of the stone, running my hands across its roughly encrypted name. I can literally feel my heart being torn to shreds as the moment I've kept away for so long play over and over in my head.

A light drizzle begins to fall when I finally decide it would be best to head home.

As I walk home I can't help but stare up at the twinkling stars, smiling at the small realization that they look like her twinkling grey eyes.

Katniss, I like the ring of her name as it plays off my mind. I smile like a high idiot as I repeat her name silently in my mind. I'm getting soft.

The lights and music buzz from my house, I can hear the shouts of a woman from where I stand at the edge of the worn in sidewalk. Turning my feet find the familiar path to Thresh's house.

His house, as always, gives off a warm glow as I walk down the darkened streets. The lighted windows beckon me closer, drawing me nearer in my search for safety.

As I raise my fist to knock on the door it's thrown open and two skinny arms embrace me.

"Oh my god Cato, boy you nearly gave me an aneurism. I thought you were that guy that came by last week trying to get in my pants. I came out here to whoop his skinny lil ass, but I guess I don't have to, now do I?" Mrs. Reconwer stands in the doorway, pushing me back to get a better look.

"Hey to you too Mama" I grin foolishly, sweeping her off her feet in a long hug, she lets out a surprised squeal before hitting me playfully with the dishtowel in her hands.

"Cato Young, you put me down this instant boy, don't make me hurt you" she teases, hitting me gently once again.

"Yes mam" I smirk, dropping her back in her spot in the doorway as a little ball of joy launches herself at me.

"Cato" Rue shrieks climbing up my body until I'm holding her like she's five again.

For a ten year old she's pretty light, her brown hair and big black eyes give her an innocence that most little girls could only pine for.

"Hey sweetheart" I smile, planting a small kiss on her forehead.

"Cato that boy across the street told me my hair looked funny again today" she pouts, her bottom lip sticking out so far I swear a rooster could land on it.

My heart pangs as I remember my mother telling me that exact thing every time I cried over spilt milk.

"Did he now" I narrow my eyes playfully at the apartment buildings across the street where I know the little boy messing with her lives.

"But don't worry, I told him my boyfriend would beat him up if he didn't stop telling stories. He got himself real scared and ran inside. You'll get him wont you Cato" she bats her eyelashes at me and I can't help but do what she wants, she always gets her way.

"You tell him I've got my eye on him K?" I let out a low sigh, glaring a hard stare at the apartments to her enjoyment.

"I will" she nods triumphantly, giving me a quick hug before squirming out of my arms and running across the floor to where Thresh sits with Fo, makeup covering his dark skin.

"Finally embracing your inner woman?" I smirk down at his pink painted lips.

"I did makeup" Hadley grins coming out from behind the couch. Her still chubby three year old legs shake a bit as she crawls out from her hiding spot.

"Can I do yours Cato" Rue bats her eyelashes again "Please" she begs, pushing me to the ground with a small smile.

"I guess, I mean Rue not a lot. I don't want to look like the makeup bucket threw up on me like Thresh over there ok" I sigh exasperated as she finds the first color of eyeliner.

Fo lets out a small chuckle, smirking as Thresh and I get our faces redone.

"What are you laughing at Foxy" I hiss earning me a slap on the arm from Rue as she tries to apply more blush to my already pink cheeks.

Fo pokes her tongue out at me, retreating to lay her head on Thresh's big shoulder. I look at the two of them happily together, he has her, and she has him. Thresh deserves her, and she loves him.

About four months ago Fo was running with the bad crowd, getting high on the weekends, partying her life away. She's always been so sly, so sure of herself, and it got her into trouble. She was sneaking around the old school lot when it happened.

She was raped that night, the police say she was lucky to live. He stabbed her over ten times, all to parts of the body that should have killed her. He missed her heart by three millimeters.

They had a thing before, but every time Thresh thought she was ready for commitment Fo went back out and did something stupid, getting herself high or drunk.

He ran straight to the hospital in a mixture of rage and sorrow, when he finally found her she was juiced up on pain meds half passed out in the bed.

He cried for the first time in I don't know how long and held her hand while she slept. In the midst of it all she kept telling him to tell Thresh she was sorry. She didn't know everything she said he was right there to hear and when she woke back up he promised her that he would take care of her and never let anything bad happen to her.

But Thresh forgot one thing in that promise; he couldn't protect her from the world. A month after she came home her mom died of breast cancer and Thresh came home to Fo half dead lying in the bathtub with slit wrists; they went back to the hospital where they both got the news that changed everything.

Fo was pregnant, and she wasn't letting that baby up for a million dollars. It was her reason to keep fighting, even if it was a reminder of the monster that took everything from her. Thresh took her away from her depressed father and she moved in with him.

He's tried everything now, he keeps promising her to be the best father ever. I know he won't admit it, but that girl is his angel, and the baby no matter how hard it will be at first is the reason.

I glance up at her slightly protruding belly just as Thresh leans forward to kiss it softly. They share a loving glance before I intervene.

"Seriously, can you not save the love-fest for the bedroom" I groan, this gets another slap from Rue and a 'no move' from Hadley who has joined her sister in the art of remaking Cato into a drama queen.

"Rue sweetheart, don't you think that's enough makeup" I groan she glares down at me and then gives me the puppy dog eyes.

I let out a sigh, knowing I'll never be able to tell her to stop.

"Well don't you look" Mrs. Reconwer stops, searching for the right word "dashing" she finishes with a raised eyebrow, giving me a horrified look as Rue turns back around to face me.

"Baby why don't you go to sleep" I hear Thresh whisper in Fo's ear as she fights to keep her big eyes open.

"But I want you to come with me" she pouts, looking him in the eyes.

Thresh can't say no and he silently follows her with an 'only until you fall asleep'.

"Girls, you too" Mrs. R calls out earning a chorus of aw's from Rue and Hadley.

"Can Cato read us a story" Rue jumps up excitedly, throwing her arms around my neck.

"Cato wead story" Hadley bounces, giggling at her kitty cat light up slippers as they shine tiny hearts all over the room.

"I guess so, but Rue only one story, and I mean it girl, and where is that boy, Angelo get to bed" she calls as he bounds from the dining room, his big history book balancing in one arm, their pet cat Anthem in the other.

He tries to traipse past her but she stops him.

"Eh, give me the book" she sighs, holding her arms out for the thick book.

"But mom, Abe Lincoln is about to give the Gettysburg Address" Angelo groans, handing the book over with a moan.

"And he can wait one more day to deliver it, now give mama some sugar before you go to bed" she leans over and he gives her a small kiss on the cheek.

His eyes find me sitting in the living room and his eyebrows raise.

"I will never understand society" he shakes his head and I suppress a laugh.

Angelo has always been the nerdy teacher's pet. From the time he could read a book he hasn't put down that stupid six hundred page history book. I'm sure he's read that thing twenty times by now.

I tried asking him why he liked it so much, he attempted to explain it, but I think it just solidified his opinion of me. In Angelo's mind, everyone around him is an idiot, and I am the king of idiocy to him.

I read the girls a story about an old lady walking through the forest, she runs into some hats and pants and gloves and then a pumpkin. I was just happy I didn't have to sing like the last one I read, although this one did have an annoying thump thump sequence that had the girls squealing and me irritated. Seeing them happy was worth it, after all their sadness and pain they deserve to be happy, even if they don't really understand that they were ever really unhappy.

I tuck them in, giving them both a kiss on the forehead before I turn out the lights and shut the door, barely remembering to turn on the pink unicorn nightlight before I leave.

"So, Cato, you crashing here tonight?" Thresh whispers as we make our way quietly down the hall and back to the living room.

"If your mom says I can" I reply, throwing myself down on his couch.

"Oh Cato you know you can stay anytime you like" Mrs. R smiles at me over a paper as she tries to do the bills.

I look at the worn down carpet, avoiding her stare as she tries to look at the bruise covering my eye.

"Don't even think about lying to me. Who did that" she finally breaks the uneven silence.

I hear Thresh take in a sharp breath, holding as I start to talk.

"It's been a rough week, lots of drinks" my hands tug at the fraying ends of string on the couch, tugging at them roughly.

"You can't stay there Cato" she sighs putting down the paper and going to the refrigerator "What if he does it to you too" I shudder at the mental image of my mother bloodied on the floor.

When she died my dad took her out in the boat he threw her in the ocean, faking a note that said she had to leave and that was the end of that. The police in this area aren't exactly too persistent when a wife leaves a husband like my dad. When I tried to tell the officer that came over to my house what really happened my completely distraught father told him I was a compulsive liar.

So instead of sending my dad to jail they sent me off to a therapy camp where no one listened to me there either.

I snap back into the now, looking up at the graying hairs of my second mom.

"He won't" I declare with an uncertain certainty.

"I just worry about you baby that's all" she presses an ice pack to the bruise around my eye, giving me a small tired smile.

"I can take care of myself, I promise" I give her wrinkling hand a small squeeze.

"Yeah, you're a real toughie" she jokes, giving me a swat on the arm "you can stay in Vince's room tonight, he has the late shift again and won't be back until six tomorrow morning" she frowns. I know how much she hates her oldest son being gone at odd hours for his makeshift job at the factory.

"Thanks" I give her a lopsided grin before saying goodnight and retreating to Vince's room.

As I fall asleep my thoughts find her again and I can't help but wonder if she's asleep. The thought of her peacefully tucked in makes my heart beat faster. I want to see her happy, without the mask she had up at boxing and even at school.

I can't help but wonder what the hell hurt her so bad; I want to kill whatever took her voice from her. It's evident she doesn't talk, the look she gave me when I asked her name said it all. Under the perfectly laid façade she had built up, she panicked. I could see it in her eyes, and the way she opened her mouth and shut it again.

This girl is doing something to me, the way Fo changed Thresh, and I'm not sure I like it. I mean I've met her all of two times and one of the two I nearly trampled her. Real great first impression there.

_Idiot _I chide myself, it's just a harmless crush, it has to be.

**So, how exactly did you enjoy the new style of my Cato?**

**Next chapter- Cato and Katniss will meet again there will be a bonfire and a certain blonde you all probably will grow to hate, can you guess who it is?**

_**CONTEST: I am holding a contest for my new OC that will come into play however you want it! **_

_**Tell me in the review to enter:**_

_**1: How old 15-17, 18-20, 21-25, do you think I am? I ask this only so I can see what maturity you all think my writing is; if you guess wrong it will not affect your contest entry.**_

_**2: Chose a song for two chapters, one for each it does not matter which chapters you do and relate it to the fiction!**_

_**3: Who is Fo in my story and who is she in the real hunger games?**_

_**Put these in your entry, you can PM them or review them. I prefer review because I can look at them all at once and print them together while I consider them.**_

_**If you win you will get to create your own OC that will have a big effect on Kat's ability to speak again!**_

**Love to All,**

**Dedicated**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys, I am back from my odd little slump that I was in last time I updated.**

**I still want to say that you all HAVE to tell me if I ever get a big head from anything. I encountered an author today that almost made me want to gag quite simply. I never want to be anything like that, and I hope you all will help me with my quest.**

**For all my The Final Piece fans, I am continuing in a short drabble like series called After the Storm look for posted TONIGHT.**

**Walk with Me will be updated TOMORROW.**

**Together We Stand will be TUESDAY.**

**If I get reviews there May be an early update.**

**_CONTEST: I am holding a contest for my new OC that will come into play however you want it! _**

**_Tell me in the review to enter:_**

**_1: How old 15-17, 18-20, 21-25, do you think I am? I ask this only so I can see what maturity you all think my writing is; if you guess wrong it will not affect your contest entry._**

**_2: Chose a song for two chapters, one for each it does not matter which chapters you do and relate it to the fiction!_**

**_3: Who is Fo in my story and who is she in the real hunger games?_**

**_Put these in your entry, you can PM them or review them. I prefer review because I can look at them all at once and print them together while I consider them._**

**_If you win you will get to create your own OC that will have a big effect on Kat's ability to speak again!_**

**Love to All,**

**Dedicated**

My eyes open slowly, creeping back shut as the sun glares in through the weakly curtained window.

"Cato, Cato, Cato!" the bouncing of the creaky bed continues as Hadley gets dangerously close to landing in a place I would never want anything to land.

"Hey Hadley, down girl" I laugh, rubbing my eyes, my hand coming back shiny and glittery with the old makeup from last night's makeover.

"Cato ugly" she giggles, leaning over to give me a hug. As she does, her little legs give out on her and she topples over, nearly taking out my face.

Her dark frizzy afro bounces with her

"Am I really?" I fake a tear, looking at her with puppy dog eyes.

"No Cato pwetty" she smiles, hopping off the bed yelling for Rue.

I smile as I watch her retreat down the hall, her walk riddled with happy bounces as she runs off to find her older sister.

I climb off the bed, yawning as I stretch out my back. As my back pops, Katniss floods my mind again; my innocent crush has turned into an obsession in a matter of a night.

_Don't be such a creep _I scold myself, laughing lightly at my insanity.

"What's so funny" Fo's voice startles me into oblivion, trying to pretend she didn't just scare me a foot into the air I look up at her.

"Nothing, don't you have food to eat or something" I groan, looking back down as her eyes search mine with a skeptical stare.

"It's a girl, Cato met a girl" she smirks after a moment of glaring at me with suspicion.

"I did not Foxface, get out of my room" I contemplate shoving her out, but between her condition and Thresh I decide it would be better just to shut the door in her face.

I smirk as I hear her sigh outside the room, knowing I just won the battle.

The door opens again almost as quickly as it shut and I whirl around.

"You know it technically isn't your room" A grin covers the darkened face in front of me as I slap him a high five.

"Vince, man how you doin" my face breaks into a smile as I look up at my step in older brother.

His eyes hold so much in them, so much pain and loss.

Three years ago, Vince must have been around twenty three then; he had everything going for him. His fiancé was there, he had a promising job at a good company in New York, his life could only go up. At least that's what we all believed.

He found out about the affair four days before the wedding, it crushed him. The worst part was the fact that his fiancés dad was the one that gave him the job. Naturally he lost the job as soon as the news hit the streets.

Vince came back to live with his ma, taking up his old job at the factory as a mechanic. I know he still has big dreams but once you get here, you're stuck. Only a select few leave this part of town.

"You know, its going" he quietly sighs, Thresh takes after him in his simple silent ways. It's like they're the same person thrown into different bodies.

When I first started hanging out with Thresh for real after my mom died their eerie similarities freaked me out. Now it's just a normalcy, on good days I barely even notice it

"How's Adelaide?" I smirk, giving him my best impression of wiggling eyebrows.

"She still hates you" his eyebrows raise disapprovingly.

"Oh come on, I wasn't that bad" I groan, I've heard this same speech a million times.

"Cato you asked her how I was in bed" he hisses softly, I'm sure it's so the girls down the hall don't hear him.

Granted, it was an awkward question, but it was my revenge on him for telling my girlfriend of the time where I hid my baby blanket. She paraded that thing around for a week, a week before I finally cut it off for good.

"At least she said yes" I grin innocently; Vince can do nothing but smile and give me a soft shove.

"You going down to the bonfire tonight, supposed to be a pretty nice party down there. Adelaide wants to go; you and Thresh want to tag along?" Vince calls from the closet as he digs through it absentmindedly.

"Yeah I don't have anything better to do" I call out as I walk slowly down the hall, planning on leaving before Mrs. R decides to shove food down my throat.

"Oh Cato, Cato baby come back here and eat, you look like the skeleton God kicked out" I watch as everyone's head cocks trying to mentally process her words.

"I really need to be going, Brutus is going to be expecting me soon" I give her a pleading look and turn towards the door. Within seconds, maybe even milliseconds I hear her light treads racing to shut the front door.

"You are going to eat Cato Young, if it's the last thing I do" her eyes narrow as she stares me down, giving me a glare that normally would have me shaking in my cheap sneakers.

I can't help but think of Katniss, she's going to be at the gym anytime and I need to talk to her. I won't get to invite her to the party if I don't talk to her first.

"Oh" Mrs. Reconwer's lips turn up in a sly smirk "you can go then, have fun" she steps out of the way leaving me wondering what the hell her mind has conjured up now.

I walk down the steps, aware of Mrs. R behind the curtains of the window peeking out as she watches me go.

The worn down sidewalk in front of me seeps with stories of the past. Memories locked up inside of them struggle to get out.

I used to play down here, tromping over the beaten down paths. Thresh and I rode our first bikes down this exact path. My mom took her last walk on this path.

There are so many things I could remember, if only remembering didn't bring along such a great sadness.

I can feel my mom's hand as it holds my own, taste the salty tears that course down my face as she wipes them gently away. I move to touch her, but she vanishes completely just like a hallucinations.

As I continue to walk my mind floats to the party tonight. It'll be on the beach, I', sure everyone will be there. Everyone but her. My head hangs low knowing I will never get enough courage to ask her to come.

Luck has it my way and as I jog lightly up to the house she stands outside with what appears to be a heavy suitcase, struggling to get it in the door.

I stop a moment, frozen in my tracks at her simple beauty. Her sleek brown hair hangs in a messy bun, about to fall off the top of her head and the loose jacket wrapped around her makes my heart pound.

_Stop staring pervert _my mind screams as I catch her stare; she looks back at the ground, taken back by the contact.

"Hey" I call out, mentally cursing myself for my awkwardness around her.

This never happens around girls, I've always been the smooth guy that gets what he wants, when he wants it. This is different, I've never looked at a girl more than a useless toy, something unwanted but so needed in my life. Just the sight of her has my heart racing.

Maybe it's the excitement of her, or the thought of her untrusting gaze; maybe even the challenge. Whatever it is, it's thrilling.

She looks up at me, a flicker of recognition flashing across her face. Her grey eyes search mine with an intensity that has my heart leaping with great bounds into my throat.

It's like the air around us it buzzing with the intensity that builds inside of me. Like I've been waiting my whole life for this one girl, this one moment.

She doesn't talk, just stares, but why would I be surprised.

"Catnip, let me help you with that honey" the husky voice coming from inside the house startles me and sets my teeth on edge.

He steps into the light of the glaring sun, unshaken by my rigid stare. His dark hair and eyes mirror her's perfectly and for a second I have a glimmer of hope that he's just her older brother, that is until he kisses her forehead. He takes the suitcase from her, eliciting a shy smile from Katniss.

I contemplate running away, leaving with my dignity while I still have it, or at least before he notices me. Luck has never been one of my friends, before I know it the boy has turned towards me, walking slowly in my direction.

A military man, his hair gives him away.

"Hey there" he calls to me, extending his hand towards me with a grin "Gale Hawethorn, you must be the Cato Haymitch was telling me about" Gale turns back to Katniss giving her a smile and a small wave.

She turns and disappears into the house.

"Cato Young, I'm the neighbor" My glare hardens as I look at his smiling idiotic face. In all honesty my mind keeps wandering onto the millions of ways to kill him with my bare hands; it even gets creative with the metal mailbox next to us once.

"Can I ask you a question, man to man" he leans in close to me.

"Anything" I try to contain myself from growling it at him.

"How's Catnip doing, has she said anything yet? I mean is she making friends? I'm worried that she's going to do something you know. Could you maybe keep an eye on her, be her friend, my set of eyes while I'm not here to watch her? I'm on leave for two weeks, but after that I won't see her for months. All I want is for her to have one friend that doesn't take advantage of her silence. In the past she's had guys use her and she can't do anything about it. All I'm asking is for you to be her friend, at least until I can come back and get her." My stomach flops around in my body.

His words sink in, I've been friend zoned by an over protective boyfriend. I do feel for him though, if I was in his situation I would be doing the same thing, having someone watch over her like a hawk.

"No, she keeps to herself pretty much, she wrote to me once, but all it was… was her name" my eyes find the ground.

"I knew it; I knew all that she wrote to me was fake. She said she was hanging out with a guy named Cato and that you two fought at the same club" Gale shakes his head in disbelief "I never should have left her alone. Last time I did she tried to down an entire bottle of pills, I wasn't even there to find her" my heart sinks to the bottom of my chest. She's more screwed up than I thought.

"I'm sorry man, it must be rough, but I will watch out for her, I promise" my mouth speaks before my brain can think and in an instant I have just friend zoned myself.

"If you take advantage of her I'll kill you" an empty threat is thrown my way as he stomps back to the house, turning "Oh and Cato, I'd suggest washing your face" he smirks, raising his eyebrows at my overly made face.

_Dammit _I mentally curse myself, wiping a bit of the old makeup off my cheeks. Katniss saw me looking like a little girl doll.

. . .

As I throw my punches I keep staring at the empty ring across the gym, the one Katniss should be working out in at the moment.

Jab; a punch for my own stupidity. A pretty girl like that would have a girlfriend, how could I be so naive.

Cross hook cross; Gale. How I wish I could break his face for being with Katniss.

Upper, upper, hook, 1, 2, 5, 3, 4, 6; mom, I just want to take to her.

I don't stop, punching until my hands break into blisters. I don't even have time to realize that my bag has started to split, that I don't even have my hands wrapped or gloves on.

"Cato, man what are you doing, you're killing yourself" I can hear Thresh's booming voice from across the gym but I don't stop, not after what's happened.

I don't stop until I feel a pair of tiny arms wrap around my waist as high as they could possibly reach.

"Cato stop it" Rue's tiny voice fills the musty gym air and the entire place gets deathly silent as I let myself be pulled to the ground by her little ten year old arms.

"Dude, we're going to have to get you a bottle of booze tonight" Thresh's voice comes in barely audible, probably to save Rue from hearing it.

"What happened Cato?" Rue's eyes shine with her frightened tears as she looks up at me.

"I just got carried away I guess, but I promise I'm ok sweetheart, I promise it" she nods her head softly, looking up at me with the same scared look cowering in her features.

When I finally get the strength to look up I see her standing outside the ring, the end of her braided hair in her mouth as she chews nervously.

"Katniss" I whisper to Thresh nodding discretely in her direction.

Her eyes search me with a frightened expression before she hightails it back out of the gym, her braid flying after her.

"Way to go" he sighs, clapping my back with a small cough.

I'm shattered now, my mind is too scattered to even think of anything.

I can feel the blood slowly seeping out of my knuckles, the warm fingers of Rue as she wraps them in bandages with her soft delicate fingers. My mind couldn't be farther away in this moment, everything that I've blocked away for so long comes gushing out in one moment.

The first time my dad hit me, my mom's funeral, all the nights I've lain awake because of the partying going on around me, all the times I've held in the screams of pain.

"Cato, man snap out of it" I hear Thresh murmur, his dark hand flashes in front of my face for a moment. I don't respond, I just keep staring straight ahead.

. . .

I don't know how long I stare out at the ocean churning in front of me. The waves crash and the noise of the party behind me drowns out my thoughts. I'm numb like I have been so many times only this time is different. I've never been one to show weakness in front of a person, so why now. What is this girl doing to me that she has me tongue tied and mushy.

It took Thresh and Rue a good hour to get me back to his house, and another hour to get me presentable enough to go out. Vince had to drag me up the stairs while I fought him, that was mainly because I didn't want mama R to see my hands. She was naturally appalled by what I'd done to myself.

Once Gale arrived, greeting Vince and Adelaide with a big hug, I looked away. I left for the edge of the beach, staring at the ocean. Katniss came with him, never looking up from the ground.

I really couldn't handle it then, so I stayed where I was, wishing I wasn't such an idiot, and wishing I didn't have a crush on someone more screwed up than me.

"Hey there gorgeous" I sigh recognizing the bothersome purr anywhere.

"Glimmer" I nod, used to her attempts to get me to come with her.

"What do you think about tonight baby, my place is nice and cozy" she slings her arm around me; it lays like a heavy weight on my shoulder.

For some reason tonight her offer is different than usual, no red flags go up, and looking over at the fire where Katniss stands with Gale's arm wrapped around her, I say yes.

**I am putting off R4R until next week. Forgive me I have such a busy schedule!**

**I love you all so much and each and every one of you even if you help me so to say or not, has had an important part in my development as a writer and for that I could not be more grateful.**

**Love to all,**

**Please Review!**

**Dedicated**


	6. Chapter 6

Don't kill me! Please don't! I am so sorry for the delay in my writing!

Short AN, the one at the bottom will be longer! The contest is open one more chapter, get the details below!

There is a poll on my profile that will decide a few things for this story, please participate! Right now Cato will be groveling for her love for a very long time! You can change that!

As always I want to thank each and every one of my kind readers! You make my writing worth it!

Love to all,

Dedicated

**Summary: **All Cato Young wants is a normal life, all he wants is a loving family. Can someone who has lost everything help him get through the pain? His life is full of trials and love, and it now centers around one thing, Katniss Everdeen.

. . .

_They say she's crazy, the day her family died they say she sealed herself off. She never spoke another word. She's gone now, so lost in herself that even the strongest can't find her in the mess of her own mind. All I know, is from the moment I saw her, she spoke to me._

_. . ._

"Glim, I'm not so sure about this." she waves away my weak attempt. Her sleek pale fingers run across the thin cotton thermal across my chest.

"You just need to relax baby, I'll take care of you, don't you trust me?" her blue eyes widen seductively and my heart starts to pump faster.

"Not really." I respond. My answer fades into her tinkling chuckle.

Before I can stop it I'm thinking about Katniss, I really must be insane. I can't help but wonder if her laugh sounds like music to the ears; I've always fallen hard for a pretty laugh. Her grey eyes kill me too; it feels nice, thinking about them. I just want to smile, smile like the idiot I am and go back to the bonfire.

"Cato, you have to help me, your pants aren't going to take themselves off." I'm brought back down to earth by Glimmer's annoyed complaint.

"You know what; I don't want to do this tonight Glimmer. I have somewhere else I should really be." I watch as her shoulders fall and the straw like hair of her extensions cover her face. If she wasn't so damn fake she could be pretty.

"Damn jerk." she mutters under her breath. She looks at me with a glare along with a few of her favorite words, all of them effectively cussing me out.

"Sorry Glim, I don't do leftovers." My signature smirk makes its way onto my face as I stomp through the woods back to the sandy outtake of the beach.

I can make out the fuzzy outlines of people still around the fire; the crowd has dissipated to a select few that still party with their drinks in hand. The whole thing just screams cop magnet. The laughter rolls over to me in waves, blowing in with the breeze.

I don't notice her at first; she's just like a figure in the distance, a black mass sitting along the edge of the lake. Her brown hair is out of its braid, frizzed out in a strange crimp, I have no doubts that the braid left her hair in the nice mess it's in now.

She sits slumped over, only sitting up when she hears me coming from a good distance away.

I let myself relax, half jogging the rest of the way over to her with a lopsided grin on my face.

"Am I really that loud?" I joke as I plop myself down on the grainy yellow sand next to her.

She gives me a half smile and a small nod, looking down at the waves crashing in near our feet. The cool almost November breeze hits me right in the face as the wind picks up. A storm is brewing out over the water; October's way of saying goodbye I guess.

"Where's Gale?" I ask casually hoping she doesn't pick up on the complete creepiness of my question. Part of me gets excited hoping he's drowned in the lake somewhere.

She looks back towards the crowd of people and I pinpoint him easily enough. He's drunk, that's as much as I can tell from here.

She looks at me and gives a shrug, following my gaze to Gale.

"What, you don't drink?" I chuckle jokingly.

Her perfectly sculpted finger finds the sand beneath her, drawing a delicate no in the grainy ground.

Her answer takes me back; all the female boxers I have known have been hardcore drinkers. They weren't alcoholics, but there wasn't a party they didn't go home drunk from. Even Enobaria falls victim to the call of alcohol when Brutus isn't there to keep her sane.

Ever since Enobaria tried to bite a girl's throat out Brutus has kept her away from the stuff. En was young when she tried; it was a street fight, nothing noteworthy. She was drinking before and boom, she was drunk and managed to leave a few teeth marks.

I shudder at the thought of the putrid liquid filling me; I've never been a big drinker. I guess it's my dad's fault that I gag as soon as the stuff hits my throat. Having an alcoholic parent does that to you I guess.

"I don't either." I nod towards the party "I don't think I could ever have fun drinking like they are." Her eyes follow mine and she slumps down further where she sits.

I can smell the rain coming in and judging by the distant rumbling the storm isn't far off from hitting the beach.

"Why are you out here?" I ask slowly, playing with the sand between my fingers.

_I don't like people _she writes in the sand, I like watching her fingers move as she writes. For a moment I wonder what they would feel like encased in my own but I shake the thought away. She has Gale.

I'm taken back by her answer, that's not a typical thing for girls to say.

"You like me." I smirk back at her, watching her face drop into a menacing frown.

_How do you figure that? _She glares in my direction after writing furiously in the dark sand.

"You're responding to me." I smile a dorky grin looking at her dark stare.

_What do you want from me? _She writes quickly looking back out to the waves in the distance.

"A friend, you could use one yourself spitfire." I chuckle looking over at her as she throws a pebble into the waves.

_I don't need friends. _Her words hit me directly in the heart; people like her make me sad. I can still see the red raw lines on her arm, I'm sure she thinks I can't see them, but I can. They stand out like a rapper in an old lady home. My vision clouds over red as I look at them; I want to kill whoever did it. I want to hurt whoever made her feel so worthless and alone.

"I hate to break it to you but by the looks of it you could use a friend." I catch her wrist, looking for the lines I saw the first time she wrote in the sand.

As soon as I catch them she has pulled her wrist back away from me. But she knows the damage is done, I've seen the cuts, she can't take that much back.

Her eyes widen and her chokes on her breath, the pleading look on her face almost breaks my heart.

"Look, it's getting late and I'm almost one hundred percent positive Gale has had about five beers too many. It's going to storm soon and you're going to be left here unless you want to get in a wreck. I can drop you off at your house-" she panics, grabbing my arm preventing me from standing as she shakes her head furiously.

_No, he scares me when he's drinking, don't leave me with him. _She writes in the sand quickly looking up at me expectantly.

"What about Haymitch?"

She cuts me off again.

_Out of town, business trip._

She looks up at me, pleading me with her wide grey eyes.

"Well spitfire if we agree to be friends maybe I'll let you stay with Fo tonight. I have to stay at the Terner's house anyways. Saturday nights get pretty crazy at my dad's." I give her a lopsided grin, flexing as I stand.

She pretends to gag and glares up at me, the scowl never seems to leave her face.

. . .

She falls asleep on the long car ride home, and by the time I get to Thresh's house I don't want to wake her up. The rain pours down around us as I pick her up gently, maybe this is the start, she's my friend, and maybe it can turn into something more.

I look down at her peaceful look, smiling at the faint traces of a peaceful grin etched on her face. Maybe I could get used to this.

Everyone fusses over her as I carry her inside. Mrs. Terner wants to give her a blanket, Fo is trying to get a bed ready, Rue wakes up and gets pouty because she thinks I'm replacing her; everyone tries to take care of her the best they can.

Looking down at her once more before I stand to leave I realize that maybe I could get used to this. For once in my life things are actually going my way, but for how long will they stay this way?

**I put this off all week and then I didn't have enough time to end it!**

**I love you all, I am blessed! I really am!**

**I promise that I will make up for this!**

**Which story should I update tonight?**

**Walk With Me**

**Together We Stand **

**Or**

**Stand by Me**

**PM me or review me your answers! I will update the one with the highest votes!**

**Love to all,**

**Dedicated!**

**PS I'd be thrilled if you all left a review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**OK, so I decided that I don't want to include this short excerpt in the next chapter, so I am putting it alone, it is also some incentive for the amazing and sweet feedback I have gotten from all of you people. The number of alerts I have gotten in the past few days is amazing, you all amaze me and I love each and every one of you so very much.**

**The contest entries are being considered as we speak; the top three will get a PM by tomorrow at three. From that top three I will ask you to create the character, and then I will pick the best for this story.**

**Best of luck to all who entered, 'may the odds be ever in your favor'.**

**Love to All,**

**Dedicated**

I stare at the ceiling, praying to God this isn't a dream. I can hear the sound of her soft breathing as I look down at her; if I stay much longer it's going to be taken to a whole new level of creepy.

The peace in her is evident; the signature scowl that usually covers her ivory face has been graced by a small smile.

I want to know more about her, long to know about her. Hell, the girl is turning me into a damn sap. It hasn't been this way since I fell hard for Clove freshman year. Even with Clove my heart didn't feel the tug it does now.

Clove and I weren't meant for each other, I guess in a way we were so much alike that it broke us apart. She had the personality of a snake; there wasn't a soft bone in her body. No, Clove wasn't for me, Clove's heart belongs to Marvel, it always has. I should have known it before, it was so evident but I refused to believe it.

I trial my eyes down Katniss' face, finally resting them on the ends of her long brown hair. I can't help but wonder what it would feel like running through my hands. _Idiot _my mind chides me and I chuckle softly at my absurdity, she doesn't want me touching her.

As I look at her, I start to think in my head, about a lot of things. Mostly my mom, dad too.

My mom loved my dad, they say it's sick. All the neighbors used to call her weak, say she got off on the abuse. She didn't, she was broken, broken into a million tiny pieces. I'm not like him, I don't want to hurt anyone, I won't be like him.

He is the sick one, he is the one that needed the help He's the one that got off of her pain. He's the one that will die in hell, and she's the one that floats above me in the sky. She's the angel, and to me, he's the devil.

I will make him pay; he won't get away with it. I won't let him. But I won't be like him; I will protect her until the day I die.

I turn my head back away from the ceiling, back to her pale face and beautiful features.

"I won't let anything hurt you Katniss, you can trust me, I promise never to leave you. Even if it means I'm your best friend while you marry Gale," I shudder a bit at his name "I'll stay with you. I'll never let anything happen to you." I whisper as I slowly turn back to the door.

She murmurs in her sleep, turning into the pillow like it's going to be the one to protect her.

I smile, shaking my head slowly.

"I promise" I whisper, backing out of the room as I shut the door.

I sigh, burying my head in my hands as soon as the door clicks shut.

Trying to get her could be the best and possibly worst decision I could ever make. She's a spitfire and it makes the fire inside me burn one thousand times hotter. I'll get her; I won't rest until I do.

**Ok, this is short, yes. I consider this more of a peek at what is to come. If you read closely you will now know that Cato has OFFICIALLY declared that he likes Katniss. In the past he has hinted but now it is official.**

**This was an apology and a makeup gift for the short chapter I last posted.**

**I really hope you all enjoyed this!**

**If you have any songs you feel like I should base a chapter off of, tell me and I will try my best. Each chapter has a song that goes with it in my head as I write. I'm running out of songs.**

**Oh and just based on the few contest entries I have read I am not sure whether to be concerned or happy at the emotions I invoke in you. It's been everything from rap to slow sad songs. What can I say? This is going to be fun!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys,**

**I originally wasn't going to upload this tonight, but I was really inspired to, and by inspired I mean I just got out of the theater from seeing Perks of Being a Wallflower.**

**With that said, I am feeling a tad sentimental tonight so please, be sentimental with me.**

**CHAPTER NOTE READ: One week later, Cato is at the coffee shop, he is watching a couple that appear to be in an abusive relationship. These are parts of his reflections on his mother. We will learn later why his mother meant so much and you will find out what role the girl here will play. This is very off from everything else. Katniss will come in at the middle to end. Something will brew in this chapter.**

If you do not read the chapter note it will be very hard to read this chapter.

I used to dream, but it was only ever dreams, that one day my mom would walk up to me, her pale face unbruised. We would listen to Rod Stewart together in the park, sitting in the back of the old pickup. She would smile and tousle my hair, her eyes would sparkle. I used to think that if I was good, if I was just that little bit better that Dad wouldn't hit her anymore.

It's stupid now, really, because my dad could honestly care less about my mom and anything to do with her.

The couple I'm watching gets up to leave, the boy's arm wrapped tightly around the bruised girl. She looks terrified; I've seen the look so many times on my mom.

Suddenly the coffee in front of me has lost its appeal. I'm watching a girl like my mother walk away; I'm letting someone like my mom slip away.

It's been days now since the bonfire, Katniss comes to visit Rue and Hadley on occasion, letting them make her over. She doesn't write to me, only stares at the ground when I'm around. Something changed the night of the bonfire, something for the worst.

The girl looks up at the boy through a swollen eye as he guides her to the car. She tries to smile but I can see the fear in her face, the panic.

Her red bouncy hair shakes as her body trembles and I make my move.

I'm out the coffee shop behind them without a second thought. I have to jog to catch up to the pair. His grip on her tightens as he hears me and she stifles a cry of pain.

"Hey, are you ok?" I catch her arm and she shrinks back in fright "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise" I utter calmly, taking in her beautiful green eyes. Nothing compared to Katniss but in the sunlight they shine like the sea.

"Why don't you go back and drink your coffee. We have things to discuss right baby?" his words drip with hate. I can hear my father in him, the way his words seem devilish and twisted.

"Look, you can tell me if you're not and if you aren't, I promise he won't touch you again. If you get in that damn car there's nothing I can do." Her eyes search mine with a strange glimmer.

She trusts me, I can tell that much.

"Let me go" she whispers in the tiniest voice I've ever heard. Her eyes widen and she squeezes them shut, expecting the blow.

I watch the guy's hand raise, poised to slap her.

Everything happens in a slowed blur. I'm ready to pounce when a tiny ball of fury flings herself at the boy. The braid whips around and as I turn around to see where she came from I find someone just as surprised as me.

"I don't know" Gale shrugs, his eyes widen and when a wild slap is landed to Katniss's face he springs into action.

There's a flat out brawl on the concrete. Gale's punching the guy; Katniss is punching whoever gets in her way, even landing a couple to Gale who's essentially trying to help her. Eventually I have to pry her from him, kicking and still throwing punches I hold her in my arms until she calms. Her breathing slows as she watches Gale kick the dude's ass.

The red head is trembling, huddled on the ground before us. She watches every punch, wincing as he's hit over and over.

My mind can only seem to form one thought as Katniss heaves in breaths against my chest. _What the hell just happened?_

Eventually the guy leaves with two swollen eyes, cursing us all the way to his car. Katniss breaks free and sprints in the opposite direction, pain written all over her beautiful face.

My heart longs to chase her, to stop her and tell her that everything is ok. I wish with all my heart but I find myself frozen in my place, allowing Gale to chase the girl of my dreams, yelling her name like I wish I could.

"Come on then" I look down at the red head, taking her up in my arms as she sobs into my shirt. Her eyes are puffy from tears and it's only when I really look into her eyes that I notice the cloudiness of her left eye. The green is faded and it doesn't search my face like the right one does.

She winces as I shift her in my arms, her hands moving to her chest.

"My name's Cato, can you tell me yours?" I whisper quietly to her. She nods slightly and utters her name under her breath.

"I couldn't hear you, you're going to have to speak up" I open the back of my truck, laying her out over the back seats.

"Annie" she whispers louder, still gazing at the ceiling.

"Annie I'm going to take you to my friend's house ok? His mom can look at you and check for damage. Is that ok with you?" I ask as I shut the back door before climbing into the front.

"Ok, but I get to see Drake again right?" she asks, cringing into the seat "He wont like it if I don't go see him." A tear slips down her cheek as I check on her through the rearview mirror.

"Hey, we'll think about that tomorrow ok?" I respond, throwing the truck into gear.

. . .

Another week, no Katniss. She doesn't even show up to see Rue, it worries me. I don't know why I'm scared, I shouldn't be. She's not even mine to worry about.

Annie keeps us all on our toes; I've had to restrain her multiple times from hurting herself. Poor crazy girl, she sees things other people don't. Flashbacks invade her mind at the most random of moments. She screams, throwing things across the room, and when she comes back down from them it's like she's not even there.

She stares at the wall, sobbing at the things we can't see. Fo tries to calm her down, holding her while she cries, singing to her before she falls asleep.

Mrs. R said that the old bruises, crudely fractured and rehealed ribs, can only mean one thing. She's been hurt for a long time.

I don't know why bad things happen to people, but I've decided that the things that happen don't chose people. Bad things don't care if you're a druggie or a church kid. It doesn't matter how many good things you do or happen upon. The bad things are still going to find you. They're still going to haunt you, make you cry and scream.

I got the call at five am on a Saturday. I had just managed to get Annie back to bed after she chased me around the house with a knife for a good ten minutes. She thought I was trying to hit her. I guess I'm just happy she was trying to fight back.

I don't know why they called me, I'm sure I'm not on the top of her list of friends. But they called my anyways. Said I needed to come to the hospital, that it was urgent.

So that leaves me here, sitting staring at a white wall with perky nurses wondering what the hell is going on. I still haven't been told why I'm here; I don't even know who's in the hospital. All I know is that they wanted me here, so I came.

A nurse approaches me; she looks down, glancing around nervously.

"Are you Cato Young?" her voice cracks and he hands me a piece of paper, a release form by the looks of it.

"Yes, can I ask what all of this is about? You know I've been sitting here for the past hour staring at that damn white wall wondering why the hell I'm here." she winces, taking a step away from me.

That's when I recognize her. She's been with my father before, one of his many sluts he likes to have for fun on Fridays.

"Mr. Young, something has happened, I can't tell you the details, but your friend can. She's down the hall, room 213. I'm sorry." She turns away from me, probably hiding so I don't recognize her.

My first thought is what the hell has Fo done this time, and then as I walk farther down the hall my knees get weaker. I know who's in that room.

I open the door, looking up at the bed in the middle of the room.

"What did you do?" I sigh, walking over to the bed.

Her hair has lost its shine and it falls like dead straw around her face. The grey eyes that once had a glow now are sunken and dull. She looks so pale and tiny, like if I tried to pick her up she would just break into a million pieces right in front of me.

She tugs at the restraints around her wrists and for a second I think she's trying to rip them off but then I see the long bandage across what must be a giant cut. My heart breaks and I'm by her side in an instant.

"God Katniss why?" I whisper, undoing the uncomfortable restraints on her arms.

She looks at the wall, her eyes never leaving that one spot. She's done acknowledging me for the moment.

"Fine, you don't want to talk to me then don't. I don't know why you wanted to call me in the first place." I start to walk back towards the door when I hear an almost silent whisper, like a barrier broken down and the world comes crashing along with it.

"Cato."

And what can I say? She spoke to me.

**This sounds terrible but people I am expecting major feedback for this. She just talked. **

**So I have been planning this for a while and the whole time I was writing it I was thinking of the song Suspect by Joshua Radin.**

**Of course if you guys have other suggestions please let me know. None of the winners have responded so I am giving the winners one day to respond. New ones will be chosen if they do not respond!**

**Love to all,**

**Dedicated**

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

I will be putting a possible hold on all of my stories until thanksgiving.

Why might you ask? Well I have had an original idea pop into my head and I may go off on it for a while.

It will include some heavenly creatures with my own twist, it will be a love story and YES it will be made into a grand movie someday. (Ok, that last part may or may not be true, but in my mind it is so…).

If you want to know more, follow me on twitter IamDedicated or PM me OR review me: Fallen and I will give you more than basic details!

FALLEN WILL RULE THE BOOK WORLD.

Alright I'm pretty sure my san train has left the station I am crazy tired!


	9. Chapter 9

**I will be putting my other stories on hold and just focusing on this story. Updates will be Friday to Saturday with 2,000 or above words.**

**If you want a shorter update added on some Wednesdays respond to this and tell me. I want to know now that way I make the most of what you guys want.**

**I want to thank you all for the wonderful support you have given me.**

**I want to thank each and every one of you for your kind words. I have read so many stories with horrid reviews that make me sad, and all of my readers respected me enough to play it nice.**

**I also wanted to thank you all for your support. From the first few chapters, I knew I had a special group of readers. Each and every one of you mean so much to me, I don't care whether you review or just read, the simple though that people are reading my work is amazing.**

**I know how hard this story is for some of you to read, and I've been there, it means so much that some of you have opened up to me and told me how the story has helped you.**

**I went into this story like I did my original story **_**Make it Count **_**I said that if I could just change one life, that I would be content with no one reading my story. I cried when the first one of you told me that, it makes me feel so truly blessed that I have helped.**

**Without you all, I would be nothing with my writing.**

**So thank you, thank you so much.**

_**Well, bear with me this chapter, my sane train may be leaving the station soon; we all know how that goes.**_

**. . .**

"Cato" the whisper sends a chill down my spine. Her voice is raspy from the years of misuse, and it catches randomly throughout my name.

"Katniss?" I turn on my heel, looking up to meet her steely eyes.

Her eyes well up and the face I have become so accustomed to scrunches into a tight ball of fury. An inner battle is raging inside that perfect brain of hers.

"I promised her." she whispers finally, her eyes closed in a deep thought. She thrashes about for a second before freezing up on the bed.

"Who Katniss, who did you promise?" I go to comfort her but think better of it as a fierce shriek rips through her body and she falls backwards out of the sitting position and onto her pillow.

"I told her it would all be ok, I told her that she would be safe. I promised I would save her. I couldn't. The bullets, I could hear them, they were all over. She was screaming." She pauses, freezing again before letting out an exasperated sob.

"It's ok Katniss." I grab for her, anything to show her it's ok. She pulls away quickly, her instinct to flee.

She tugs against the restraints, pulling against them like a madwoman. All I can do is watch.

"Prim," she shrieks, convulsions course through her body. The machines attached to her start beeping uncontrollably. I watch everything unfold.

She's still shouting Prim when the doctors knock her out again. I'm ushered outside until the doctors calm her down. It seems the entire floor is buzzing on their toes from her outburst. I find myself pacing to spare the time. My mind doesn't stop floating to her and the Prim girl, whoever it is.

The phone in my pocket buzzes, but I don't pick it up. It's probably Thresh, worried about where I am. They call me not once, not twice, but three times before I finally pick up.

"Hello?" my voice is garbled by the frantic voices of doctors rushing around with different medications for different patients.

"Cato, where the hell are you?" the voice on the other end of the phone catches me off guard and I stutter a bit before I respond.

"Annie? What are you doing awake?" I hiss into the phone, stepping aside for a doctor wheeling a little boy with no leg.

"I had a nightmare." She whispers into the phone, the pain in her voice is clear.

"What was it about this time?" I sigh, sitting down on one of the hospital chairs, adjusting myself to get comfortable, only to find that I can't.

"He was here, and he hurt me. He hit me, and called me a whore. He said that I should just die; he said it was my fault. It's not my fault, that's what Finnick says." I groan into the phone.

She's a hopeless case. Ever since Annie left the idiot that beat her black and blue she's been completely and utterly infatuated with the biggest idiot in our grade. He's the typical player, and I don't trust him at all.

Annie swears he's different than what I think, but I wouldn't believe it for a minute. People like him don't just change like that. She won't listen though, she still thinks he's an angel fallen from the heavens.

"He's a perfectly respectable human being Cato Young, and you know it." I can hear the stomp of her tiny foot against the hardwood floor of the Reconwer's kitchen.

A doctor makes contact with me, motioning me over with his clipboard.

"Look Ann, I have to go, call me if anything happens ok? Or wake up Fo before you call me, I might not be able to answer." The phone line clicks dead before I finish. Typical Annie.

"Are you Mr. Young?" the doctor questions, looking at me through thick rimmed glasses as he scans some of the papers on the clip board.

"Yes sir." I nod my head, pursing my lips tightly as he reads a few more of the paper files.

"I'm Dr. Obert, look, what Katniss is going through won't get better here. This says her legal guardian is a guy named Gale Hawethorn, her cousin or something," my stomach churns at the mention of his name, why the hell would he be her guardian.

"Wait, Gale Hawethorn is Katniss Abernathy's legal guardian?" I ask slowly, carefully forming the words through gritted teeth.

"Abernathy? Kid, you got the wrong Katniss." The doctor responds leaning towards me, scrutinizing me from behind his heavy glasses.

"Then who is she?" I glare at him as he looks me over.

"That there is Katniss Everdeen; Haymitch Abernathy was ruled unfit last month." Dr. Obert stares incredulously at me.

"So that's when her _cousin_," smiling inwardly I continue "became her legal guardian?"

My insides flop around inside of me, doing a happy dance to the word cousin. My mind doubts it, remembering the night at the beach when he had her ensnared in his grasp, but my foolish heart can't help but think differently.

"Yes, boy are you sure you even know this girl at all?" his question echoes in my mind, ringing in my ears. The gravity of it all sinks in. Do I really know her, who is the real Katniss? Everything that's happened has been smoke and mirrors. She's diverted me from the truth. I can't help but wonder why.

_Everdeen_ the name clicks into my mind at a startling rate.

_I've only ever seen one other fighter with such a passion that comes out through the punches. Old Rough n' Tough Everdeen was the last of his kind, no one knew his real name during his actual career, but two years after his last fight news of a shooting reached the public eye. Jeff Everdeen and his wife and daughter were killed, the only survivor was his eleven year old daughter, she was shot in the stomach. They say it was a miracle that she survived. She just disappeared one day, no one knows where._

_Rough n' Tough was my hero, I watched him from the age of four on. He was gentle off the ring, but once he stepped into the roped in pen he was a ruthless fighter._

_I used to tell my mom that when I grew up I was going to be Rough n' Tough Young, the best fighter in the 47 states. I guess she thought it was cute that I didn't know there were 50 states._

"Oh my god." I whisper, pushing past the doctor before rushing full speed back to her room.

I plow through nurses, pushing men in lab coats out of my way until I finally hit her door.

It flies open, and in an instant I am in the doorway, staring at her with a dark stare.

"You lied to me." I state blankly, looking out the window so she can't see the pain in my eyes. Masking the pain has never been this hard. I feel like her grey eyes could see straight into my soul.

"You didn't need to know the truth." She shrugs with a bored look on her ivory face.

"Why? What do you think I would have done if I knew the truth? Told everyone? In case you haven't noticed, my two friends are a silent mountain and a pregnant rape victim, neither of which have too many people to tell." I can feel myself getting angry, but I don't have the control to calm myself down. Knowing she doesn't trust me scares the hell out of me.

"What do you want from me?" she breaks after a pregnant pause, looking up to meet my eyes.

I study her features, the way her bottom lips curl down in a frown as she stares at me unwaveringly. Her eyes search my own with a glint of curiosity hidden in her grey orbs.

"I want you to tell me the truth." I respond evenly, daring myself to look away before her eyes make me loony with love.

"I can't, he'll find me" her voice cracks with the unseen tears welled up in her eyes.

"Who will?" I reach my hand down to hers, expecting her to recoil at the simple touch. She surprises me, flinching, but doesn't move, allowing me to stay near her.

"Him." Is all she responds, staring off at the white wall in front of her?

"I promise he won't get you, you're safe with me. Her body stiffens, but she still doesn't look at me.

"I can't hide from him. He'll find me, just wait and see. He wants to kill me, I survived, I was the only one that did. He killed my family. BANG." She raises her hand, making a gun out of it before firing it and shouting bang another two times.

I press her hand back down, and she lets it rest back next to her.

"Then it was me, but he missed. I should have died. I was a miracle they said, but why do I feel like a mistake?" Katniss looks to me for the answer.

"You weren't a mistake Katniss." I take her limp hand in mine "You are here for a reason." I mentally curse myself over the attempt at sentiment.

"My little sister was killed by him; she was the best thing in the world. She wanted to be a doctor, save the world. She had so much to live for, and he took all of it away." She whispers.

All I can muster up is a quiet sorry.

We sit in silence for a moment, the machines our only source of noise. A doctor knocks on the door, motioning for me to come outside and talk with him. I stand slowly, taking another look at her as I slowly start to walk towards the door.

"Why do you care so much?" she finally asks, the grey soul suckers follow me across the room as I make my way to the door.

"Maybe we aren't as different as you think." I respond with a sad smile. She doesn't return it, but cocks her head like she's thinking real deep.

The door shuts with a click behind me as I face Dr. Obert.

"I need you to sign this." He holds out the release papers to me.

"Why am I signing them?" I ask accusingly, my eyes narrowing.

"Well, Gale Hawethorn is in service right now and seeing that you're the only other one mentioned in the report," he flips through the papers in my hand, indicating where to sign "you get full responsibility of the little fireball." He jokes, but I don't see the joke in it.

I sign warily, handing it back when I finish with a slight grimace.

"What should I do with her, take her back to Haymitch's house?" my face is blank as I stare towards her room.

"Take her with you. She raves about the Reconwers. I have therapy set up with a Dr. Aurelius on Wednesdays and Saturdays. You are the person she trusts now. Get close to her, show her what family is. God knows she could use a little of it in her life. If you have any problems or she shows any signs of it again, give us a call. We can only help her for so long though" he finishes, patting me on the back.

I watch as he is lost in the crowd of the hospital, and I turn towards the door.

I will take care of her; I won't let anything happen to her. From now on, I am hers, and she is _mine _to protect.

**Whoooh, I thought that would never get out of me. Truth be told, this was a difficult chapter to write. Katniss is a bit insane, but in the next few chapters I will be changing that, or rather Cato will be changing it.**

**You all make my days happier!**

**Love to All,**

**Dedicated**


	10. Chapter 10

**This chapter is a rotten excuse at writing. I'm sure I'll read it tomorrow and hate it!**

**Oh and almost 200 reviews? I am so blessed to have you all as readers! I never would have thought that this silly little story would have made such a huge bang out of all my stories. Thank you all for that.**

**Oh and my alerters! I love you all more than imaginable. (Maybe more than the reviewers, but don't tell them). You all make my writing possible!**

_Three Months Later_

Katniss sticks to me like glue. She still doesn't talk much, but I don't mind it. Hadley keeps her wrapped around her little finger.

I've practically moved in for good at the Reconwer's house, Katniss being my first priority. She still doesn't know how I fell, but some days I wish she did. Watching her face light up when she sees the girls, or plays with Hadley.

She doesn't even know how beautiful she is. She doesn't know what it's like to look at her every day and not tell her. I wish she knew how her eyes shine in the sun, and how her smile lights up the room. I can't help but wonder what it would feel like to take her hair out of the braid, how gorgeous she would be with her hair down.

In short, she's turned me into a lovesick fool.

We have our moments, rough ones mostly.

One night I catch her cutting herself with a paring knife. She barely argued when I pulled it from her hands. I got my wish and held her til she fell asleep, but somehow it didn't feel right. She woke up the next morning pretending it never happened.

A week later I find her convulsing in the bathroom, covered in sweat, screaming for her deceased family. When I tried to pull her to her feet she struggled against me, hitting and kicking trying to get away. I guess she thought I was the murderer. The next day she barely spoke, tears streaming down her face when she thought we weren't looking.

Fo takes good care of her, but with her condition it's getting harder and harder to concentrate on anyone but herself. Only one more month to go before the baby. Thresh is a nervous wreck, although he would never let Fo know. They stick close to each other, stuck in their own little world.

Angelo has a strange obsession with Katniss. She has him engrossed in the history of boxing. Turns out, Katniss knows just about everything about the sport. In a matter of days she has Angelo rattling off the history of fighting and the introduction of it into the modern world. He's completely infatuated by her.

The shrink the hospital gave us just sits and naps while Katniss stares at the window. I think she likes him.

"Cato!" the excited shriek echoes through the empty house.

Everyone but Katniss and I went to the farmer's market, surprisingly neither of us like the crowded bustle of Main Street at seven in the morning. We found that one out the hard way.

"Katniss?" I call out wearily, walking towards the sound of her excited giggles.

As I enter the messy living room, littered with Barbie dolls and dress up clothes, a reeking stench hits me in the nose. I hold back a gag, searching the room until my eyes land on the most repulsive creature I've ever seen.

Its fur is matted down, missing in some patches, dirty in others. The thing stinks and it's long since the thing's been fed.

It growls at me, barking when I take a step towards Katniss.

"What the hell is that Katniss?" I hiss, giving the dog a glare.

"Can I keep it?" she whispers, her grey eyes pleading with mine. I have to block out everything just to say no to her.

"Katniss, if you want a dog we can go get one that doesn't have rabies?" I shiver as the dog kisses her chin, shaking its butt at her with big excited eyes.

"But Cato." She pleads with me. I have to look away, willing myself not to look into the grey orbs of alluring death.

"Katniss." I sigh, stomping my foot on the ground, not realizing how childish the action is until I've done it.

"I'm keeping it." She stands indignantly, shoving past me. The dog growls at me before following her into the bathroom, its scraggly tail wagging back and forth.

I let out an exasperated sigh, flopping down on the worn in couch. She's going to kill me, that girl is.

The shower turns on and I frown. Katniss may be strong but she'll never be able to hold a dog in the bathtub.

I stand slowly, dragging myself to the bathroom to do damage control.

By the time I open the door she has the dog in the bath, but by the looks of it, he hates it. She has to physically restrain it with her whole body to keep the thing in the tub.

I gently pull away her arms, giving the dog a look that he responds to with a sharp growl. Great, the thing hates me already.

She does something unexpected then, I feel splatters of water hitting me, and then laughter flows freely and uncontrollably from her small body. She can't stop shaking with laughter, her whole body moves freely with this new sound.

Grinning, I splash her back, she squeals and her eyes get a dead set determination. She splashes me back, bigger than before.

I'm drenched, my T-shirt sticking to my stomach like skin. Soon it's a full on war. The dog even gets excited and joins in, reveling in this new game.

The splashing stops, and I look up at her, she's so close to me.

Her face is flushed with laughter and her hair is sprinkled with tiny water droplets.

My stomach drops as I realize what I'm about to do, and strangely, I have no regrets.

**I hate fillers, and this was a filler.**

**So, I plan to have everything caught up by January fourth. If you review, I promise to review on of your stories! I'll read it too, I won't just skim!**

**Love to All,**

**Dedicated**


	11. Chapter 11

**This is a short chapter, but I really think it will spark some interest!**

**Also; when I post things about my life, it isn't so you all can give me uplifting things (although some of you were very sweet, and it was appreciated greatly). I posted it so you all know that I have an excuse for not updating. I do not mean in any way to insinuate that my problems are bigger than any of yours. I apologize if it made any of you feel that way. If you would like to take up any concern with me, you can PM me and I will clear anything up.**

**Also, if anyone has a question about life, writing or anything else, you can tweet me IamDedicated or PM me! I'd love to hear from you!**

**Love to All,**

**Dedicated**

My lips press against hers and suddenly all of my doubts fade away. The erratic splashing of the dog diminishes into pure bliss and all I can think about is the beautiful girl I'm kissing. It's like one thousand fireworks are going off in my mind, and I just want to hold her in my arms and never let her go. The idiot inside of me has won.

She tenses, frozen in her spot next to the tub. I can't help but pull away, afraid I've ruined everything. She stares at me for a second, her eyes twitch for a second, and she takes a deep breath. We stand, looking at each other, stuck in our places.

Then, she's gone, the front door slamming behind her.

I shudder with the crash of the door.

"Fuck." The shampoos lining the tub clatter to the floor with one swipe of my hand.

I had her, and I lost her. How could I be so stupid? I curse myself over and over, knocking things off walls and kicking old clothes.

My hands find my hair, tugging at it violently. Every breath is painful. How can she not know what she's done to me in the past few months?

My mind races, catching up to reality quickly. She's gone, out on her own on the streets. I have to find her.

I don't even bother slipping on shoes; I go in my socks, my plaid pajama pants slipping down with every eager step. I finally resolve to running while holding them up.

I have to find her. The crumbling concrete digs painfully into my feet with every awkward step. The sidewalk is empty, but I continue running, worried about the girl that no doubt is hiding from me.

Eventually I slow to a jog, every breath expelled from my lungs is painful and the cramp in my side aches and throbs with each footfall. She's out there somewhere; I just have to think like her.

In my mind I picture her perfect braid, the way her smile shines like the sun, how beautiful she looked sitting on the beach that night.

I'm an idiot. I turn full speed in the opposite direction, running towards the one place I know she'll be.

What do I say to her when I find her? Will she even want to talk to me? My mind races, allowing myself to overthink every possible outcome. She probably hates me now. Every damn thing I did to gain her trust has been diminished by one asshole move.

_Damn. _I growl as I push myself forwards, cold breezes blow through my blond spikes. She must be freezing out here. I mentally curse myself for not bringing a jacket.

As I near the beach my heart rate increases, every thud seems to thunder through my ears. As the ground beneath me turns to a cold array of sand, I scan the shore for her.

I make out her figure, sitting in the same place she was the last time I found her. Her hair is out of the braid; probably fell out while she was running. It blows in the cool wind that comes off the water in billows.

She hears me, and her head raises slightly, barely enough to look me in the eyes.

"Hey," I greet her meekly "can I sit here?" I motion to the sand next to her.

She gives me a small nod, watching me with curiosity as I plop down next her with a small grunt.

"Hi." She finally whispers back after a few small moments of silence.

It's quiet again after that, and we sit staring out at the water as it crashes against the rocks and sand of the shoreline.

"I'm scared." She finally states quietly, staring intently out at the waves ahead of her.

It takes me by surprise, and I gaze at her conflicted eyes.

"Of what?" I ask her with concern, my fists balling up on instinct.

"What's happening to me." She responds, playing with bits of the yellow sand beneath us.

"Look, Kat, I'm sorry for what I did. I didn't mean to do that, and if you're mad-" she cuts me off midsentence, pressing her fingers to my lips with an uncertain hesitancy.

"I'm not mad, I'm confused and afraid and I don't know what to feel like. I'm scared of what you're doing to me." She throws a handful of sand at the ocean suddenly angry.

"What am I doing to you?" my voice barely carries above the sound of the wind and waves.

"I don't fall in love with people, but you, you're not just another person and I'm afraid I'm going to get hurt somehow. I've never felt this way before and I should hate it, but I don't." she looks up at me, meeting my eyes for the first time.

"I promise you, on my life, Katniss Everdeen, I won't let anything happen to you. I won't hurt you, and I'll kill anyone who does." I can feel the intensity radiating off of our gaze.

Her eyes glaze over with a sudden fire.

"Kiss me." She commands, and I oblige her, cupping her face in my hands I kiss her with more passion than I ever believed possible.

Her body molds to mine and she shifts until she's sitting perfectly in my lap, her tan legs stretched out across my legs.

When I finally pull away, straining for air I look at her. She smiles, panting for air.

"Damn." Is all I can manage to say as she stands up next to me.

Her hand finds mine and my heart skips a beat.

"Let's take this slow." She whispers to me, her grey eyes searching mine as I run a finger over her scars.

"One day at a time." I agree, stealing a glance down at her.

Something beautiful is inside of her, something changed. The sunlight seems to radiate from her as we walk back. I can't help but think how lucky I am.

Every time she cried, every time I held her while she thrashed about, every run to Dairy Queen at three in the morning after nightmares. It all became worth it today.

I am one lucky idiot.

**Ahh let the fluff begin.**

**I'd love it if you would review, it would make my day. **

**If you do review, I will have a review on your story by tomorrow, hopefully****.**

**Love to All,**

**Dedicated**


	12. Chapter 12

**Well shit (excuse me my friends) I have been putting this chapter off because I'm not so sure where to go from here. But this will be where I am going I guess. It should be interesting to see where my mind takes this. Sometimes I will dive off into crazy town, but don't worry, I will bring it back to reality.**

**Also, this is a big pleading stupid immature thing to say (frankly I hate it when authors do this, but yes I am stooping to this level): PLEEEEASE go check out my story Fixed and tell me how you like it. **

**Read and Enjoy everyone!**

_Two Months Later_

"Cato." The gruff yell sends me straight out of my dreamy thoughts. I look up only to see a less than pleased Brutus standing before me. "What the hell are you doing?" his voice is thick with anger.

All around the gym, the sound of fists pounding bags stops and all eyes are trained on me. I can feel my face go red, it isn't often that Brutus gets angry, but when he does, it's bad. It's like throwing a snake in a fire, only to have the snake survive and attack you after.

"Get the hell outa my ring until you can learn to pay-fucking-attention." He's done it, he's finally lost it, the kind gruffness is lost in his reddened face, and I can see the foaming spit of anger in the corners of his mouth. This is going to be one hell of a night.

I wipe my brow on my sleeve, cursing every word I can fathom in my mind. Before I can even think, the chair in my hands goes flying across the room, hitting the wall with a dull thud. It would happen to hit the only sheetrock wall in the brick building, and it would happen to be the wall to Brutus's office. Shit.

I look over and the rung. I can see his knuckles turning white against the ropes surrounding the edges. He's getting ready to explode and I cringe, waiting for the worst.

You see, I'm used to this, people exploding, getting mad easily. Hell, I grew up with a dad that used me as his virtual punching bag. But, when Brutus is angry it hurts more than all the punches I've endured. It stings worse than the burns and bites worse than the kicks. When Brutus is angry, it hurts on the inside. He's been my dad now for ages. I sound like one of those sentimental freaks I've tried so hard not to be.

Sighing, I throw my wraps in my bag, gagging at the stench they throw off. Across the gym I can hear Katniss grunting as she throws herself into her workout, Rue watches from a few feet away, her eyes wide with anticipation. She even has Angelo watching her with speculation, taking notes in that damn spiral of his.

Why, might you ask, have I been kicked out once again for my thoughts? The reason lies across the gym under the speculation of the two kids.

I don't know what's happened to me since I met her. Suddenly life isn't just about my and getting by, it's about her and making her happy. She has taken up rent in the once vacant heart, and is driving my mind crazy with thoughts of her.

I sit through my math class, and she's all I can think about. World Government and it's the same thing. Thoughts of her plague my existence.

After we got home that day at the beach, I cleaned up the mess our newest pet, Melrose made. The dog's a mutt, and it hates one thing more than everything else. Me. If I even get close to Katniss at home, the thing growls and pounces at me until I get away. Then it returns to its spot right at her side.

Forget sleeping with her to keep away the nightmares, the dog lays right in the middle of us. I swear it kicks me until I leave, all the while pretending to be asleep.

Katniss keeps me on my toes, the last incident was over three weeks ago. Nothing bad has happened since. We kiss occasionally, and when we can find the time, I hold her in my arms. She likes the little things like that. She doesn't want to be told how beautiful she is every second, but I remind her every day, and she sure as hell doesn't want me hanging on her like I have her on a leash.

She's different in that way, but she still tries with me. I catch her gazing off sometimes, with the faraway look I know she gets when things are about to get bad. When I do, I pull her face gently up to meet mine and I press my lips against hers softly. By the time one of us pulls away, the fire is back in her grey eyes.

I don't push her about her family, I want her to tell me on her own accord, I don't want to make her feel forced. She'll come around eventually, and when she does, I will be ready, waiting to listen.

"Hey." I whip my head around, facing Enobaria's sad gaze. She reaches her pale hand out, pressing it against my hot cheek.

The look in Enobaria's eyes is one I have seen many times in the face of my own mother as a child. I can only imagine what she must be feeling on the inside. To En, I'm the closest thing she has to a kid.

When she was seventeen, she was raped. She kept the baby, and she loved it. From what Brutus has told me, it was the best thing that had happened to her at the time. I don't know why she wanted to keep the baby, maybe it was a reminder that good things can come from things as horrific as rape. She lost the baby a few weeks into her third trimester.

After she lost the baby, she was done with life, and alcohol was her only friend. Brutus laid down the law when he found her passed out on the floor covered in barf. I guess even Brutus can only take so much. Enobaria got her life turned back around, and she leaned on Brutus when she needed it. My mom was her best friend.

"You look so much like your mother." She sighs, tucking a loose strand of platinum blond hair behind her ear.

"Enobaria." I groan, pulling her into a crushing embrace.

"What? It's true you know. You have here blue eyes and blonde hair." She wipes at her eyes. "I'm sorry sweetheart; it's just that I can see her in you so well. You have so many of her mannerisms and the look you have in your eyes. You like this Katniss girl, no?" she smiles softly.

"Yeah En, I like her more than a lot." I respond with a soft smirk.

"Be careful then?" she responds, dabbing away the last few tears in her eyes.

"Always am." I smile, swinging my bag over my shoulder.

All eyes are on me again as I walk towards the bags where the kids and my Katniss stand.

"Ready to go?" I ask, wrapping my arms around her waist, sweeping her into a soft kiss.

She squeals, pushing me away, giggling something about how sweaty I am. Rue claps her hands over her eyes and Angelo shakes his head.

"Can we get ice cream Catty?" Rue bats her eyes up at me, using the nickname she so affectionately gave me when she was only three.

"I don't know, does Katniss think you earned it?" I give her a quizzical glance. Rue's foot stomps against the ground in a flurry tantrum.

"I think we both did." Katniss chimes in, rolling her eyes at my antics.

I grin at her, reaching down to grab her hand, she doesn't pull away, but doesn't look up at me. Her cheeks are red, and she looks down at the ground with a small smile.

As I push open the door, embracing the chilled October air, Brutus calls out to me.

"Boy, you have a fight on Friday. You better get your shit in order or I'll kick your ass straight to the curb." I reach down to cover Rue's ears, worried another outburst will come from him.

I turn back, giving him a smile.

He understands. My life is finally in order; all I have to do is figure it out.

**I am begging you to give me your reactions. I take the good and the bad!**

**Love to All,**

**Dedicated**


	13. Chapter 13

**Since I have kind of been a jerk about the whole updating process for this story, and I have no time left in the day to type out a long chapter, I give you a peek into the wonderful mind of Annie Cresta.**

**Here we go!**

_Annie's POV_

I watch the pair of them grow together, Cato and Katniss. Most people don't think I see things, but I do. I watch in the shadows every now and then. I catch glimpse of the relationship they've practically hidden from the world.

They kiss, mostly when no one is watching. When Katniss moved in, Cato spent every passing moment of the night in her room, keeping her safe through the nightmares. He sat in the chair in the corner, rocking back and forth, anticipating the scream that was bound to happen.

Most people think I'm just the crazy girl Cato drug out of hell. They don't know what I really feel, no one takes the time of day to ask me what I think.

It was that way until Finn came around. He listened. Cato tried so hard to listen, but I wasn't his first priority, and I respected that. Everyone did.

Finn makes me feel worth it. After everything I've been through, all the scars scattered across my body, all the emotional bruises, he still thinks I'm beautiful. Sometimes I look in the mirror, and I try to see what he sees. I always end up back at square one. My hair is too red, my face is too pale, my arms are too skinny, my back and stomach are too scarred. I don't see what he sees, but somehow, when Finnick tells me I'm beautiful, I believe him.

When I'm in Finnick's arms, I am the Annie I used to be. I'm not scarred by some sadistic jerk, I don't cry or scream at shadows. With him, I'm free.

When I look at Katniss, I see the same thing.

The look she gets in her eyes when Cato takes her hand under the dinner table, or touches her waist while we do the dishes, is the look I get when Finn is around.

I don't question the look, I let them keep it private, although everyone in the Reconwer's house knows they have a thing between the two of them.

Sometimes, when they think I'm asleep, Cato comes into our room and holds Katniss in her sleep. Those nights are the best, she doesn't cry or scream. She sleeps peacefully, and I think Cato does too.

Every once in a while, I look down at the mad red gashes fading to scars on her wrists. It's been so long since she had her last breakdown. I'm happy for her, happy that she gets to live again.

The Reconwer's are good to us, almost too good. Mama R gives us meals every day, but I watch Katniss and Cato put the servings back. Money is tight around the house, so we all do our best to help around the house. Cato and Thresh bring in money from the fights, and Fo graduated early to get a job in the same daycare center that Mama R works at. Financially, it isn't pretty, but we make it work.

I look up from my meal, watching Cato and Katniss smile briefly at each other before declaring they're stuffed. Katniss's plate looks barely touched, and Cato asks her to eat a little more. She glares at him with one of her famous bitch looks, but he stands his ground.

No one else in the crowded kitchen is aware of their small argument. Thresh and Fo are too busy getting baby Neena to eat her food. Rue is waving a Barbie doll in Mama R's face while Hadley throws some green beans at her. Angelo is ignoring us all, fixated on his boxing history book.

Cato finally gets Katniss to take a few more bites, but it isn't without a few more looks from Katniss. I watch the two of them stand. Cato takes Katniss's plate for her, and they gently scoop the untouched food back into the serving pan. It goes unnoticed by the rest of the family.

They head into the living room, and I silently follow them, hoping to go unnoticed. My plan works perfect.

When I graduate I want to be a detective, I have to work on my pursuit skills. It sounds silly, really, crazy Annie Cresta becoming a police officer when she can't even walk down a street without panicking. In my mind, I think of it as showing everyone that I am so much more than just the insane freak show of town.

As I get closer to the living room, I can hear the two of them giggling about something or other. Neither of them notice when I stand in the doorway.

Cato has her in his arms, and he's kissing her face gently, as if he doesn't want to break her. She's smiling softly at the touches, shivering when he picks up her wrist, pressing it to his mouth. Her eyes close and she looks at the worn out couch.

"Kat, you promised me you wouldn't do this again." Cato's voice comes out in a gentle whisper.

She continues to stare at the couch.

"I know." She finally whispers, setting her head down gently on his shoulder.

Almost automatically his arms wrap around her, she's comforted by his touch, I can tell by the way she leans in close to him, her tense muscles unwinding in the process.

He kisses the top of her head, and a faint smile graces my face.

I'm happy he has her, she needs someone just as bad as he does though. It's finally working out for them, they're finding love in each other again, and it's almost beautiful.

I step back into the shadows silently, reveling in the fact that any second Finn will come barging in, ready to spoil me rotten with a night out.

What ever happened to my ruined life? Why is everything suddenly fitting together so perfectly? At that moment two arms wrap around my waist and my question is answered.

**This will be the most important AN you will ever read from me: I have decided that I will write only one more story after this. I will finish the stories that I have started, no, I haven't forgotten about them. This new story is going to be different and it will mean more to me than the world. **

**If you have read Fixed, you can tell, Delly and Thom have an important role in the fiction. That's because Delly is me. After this story I will be telling my story. Uncut and unedited, only my Thom doesn't know just how much he has done for me yet. Delly has a dark past, and I am going to tell it. I hope you all will support me like you always have and I know it will be a success.**

**Once I post the last chapter of that story, I will formally quit writing Fan Fiction. I am going to start focusing on my real writing and get back into my originals so that maybe someday a few of you will know me as more than just dedicatedwallflower.**

**I hope you all will enjoy the stories that I will finish, and if you like this story you will love Fixed. Katniss and Peeta have a past that you see a lot of. **

**This does not mean that I will leave the site, it just means that I will not be posting new stories. It will be a long time before this actually happens, because I do have to finish every story that I have started with the exception of stand by me.**

**Love to All,**

**Dedicated**


	14. Chapter 14

**I just thought it would be nice to know whether there were still readers out there! I love you all so much! **

**I haven't been updated due to shit—real shit—in my life. I can't go into details like I normally would, but I just wanted to let you all know that I am still alive and I am still continuing this story!**

**Love to All,**

**Dedicated**

"Come on Kat, school isn't going to wait on us." I groan, knocking on the bathroom door again. She doesn't respond and a chill goes through my body. The last time she took this long I found her with a knife and a crazy look on her face.

"I said I was coming." She growls from behind the closed door. It immediately puts me at ease and I lean back against the side of the door, shifting the weight of both of our backpacks into a more comfortable position.

"Alright, who put the sassy pill in your orange juice?" I laugh, smiling into the grey eyes of my beautiful girlfriend as she dramatically throws the door open.

"Oh shut up." She smiles, pushing by me to get to the front door.

The house has been full of chaos this morning as everyone gets ready for school. Hadley has been raising hell about staying home from daycare so she can play with baby Neena, Mama R has been running around with a frying pan trying to get Rue ready for school and make the morning bacon at the same time, and Finnick has been proving his undying love to Annie since the moment he got here to pick her up for school. In other words I can't get out of here quick enough.

"Bye Cato." Rue calls out through bites of lucky charms, waving to me. She's wearing her pink hair bows again. She's probably trying to impress that boy from across the street again…even if she pretends to hate him. I don't even bother trying to understand a ten year old girl's motives.

When I go out the door Katniss is waiting for me next to the truck with an impatient frown etched across her ivory face.

"Settle down, I'm coming." I chuckle, smiling lightly when I see that she's wearing my sweatshirt and her hair down. She has no idea how much that turns me on.

_Dammit, stop being a pervert. _I curse myself as I shift uncomfortably before walking to the truck next to her. Thresh is skipping to take care of Fo, who came down with a stomach bug late last night, so we have the ride to ourselves. Just the thought of it brings a smirk to my lips.

Annie and Finn walk out the front door a second after I throw the truck in gear and I groan. Out of all the couples I have ever seen, Annie and Finnick definitely take the award for grossest couple ever. Katniss giggles next to me, probably reveling in the fact that I'm annoyed. It's probably payback for shutting Melrose in the bathroom last night.

I couldn't help it though; there are only so many rooms in the Reconwer house, which means that there are only so many beds too. With Melrose in the room, I barely get any sleep, let alone cuddling with Katniss. She almost lost it when she found the dog lying dejectedly on the bathroom rug in the morning.

Melrose simply whined and rubbed up against her leg, demanding her attention. So much for wanting a morning kiss. The dog then proceeded to steal the morning kiss and bump up against me roughly before running down the hall to see Rue and Hadley.

"What happened to school not waiting on us?" Katniss asks, her grey eyes searching my own with a glint of steely humor hidden in them.

I break out of my thoughts and look over at her, reveling in the way the light plays of her wavy brown hair, and the way her grey eyes sparkle in the morning sun. She looks down at the leather seats, the faint traces of a light pink blush paints over her perfectly defined cheeks.

"I think school can wait a little bit longer, yeah?" I whisper, leaning in to steal a quick kiss on her smiling lips.

She kisses me back, responding to me more than I thought she would, and as she runs her pale ivory hands through my hair I can't help but smile into the kiss.

Yeah, school can definitely wait.

. . .

"Hey." Clove greets us with a little smile. Katniss shies away behind my back a little bit; barely offering Clove one of her beautiful smiles.

Even now, almost four months past the first time she met everyone at the gym she still remains distant, barely speaking a word to anyone outside her inner circle. So mostly just me and the "family" the Reconwers have created. She's still a tad distant to Fo and Vince, but she tries.

Clove seems to accept the fact that Katniss will never truly trust her, and she works towards gaining tiny bits of trust every day. I tried to tell Clove that carrying around a pair of scissors probably isn't helping her case but she just rolled her eyes at me. Poor mad girl.

I can feel Katniss's hand pressed into the small of my back, and I shift into her touch, aching to press my lips onto her beautiful pink ones.

"Cato, class." She whispers quietly, motioning with her eyes towards the door to our first class, smiling slightly when I wrap my arm around her slightly. She pretends to ignore my display of affection, walking a bit quicker with a blush forming over her cheeks.

I chuckle lightly walking faster to keep up with my feisty girlfriend, laughing openly when she turns to glare me through narrowed eyes when I attempt to hold her hand. I can't deny it; she's a whole different kind of sexy when she's annoyed. Oftentimes I find myself doing things that could possibly annoy her just to see the color rise to her cheeks and the fire flare up in her eyes.

The door is thrown open by a flustered Katniss and I smirk at Thresh, who sits in the back of the classroom, our seats already reserved by his hard glare and steely eyes. Being a human mountain has its perks.

We take our seats in the back, Katniss subconsciously scooting closer to me as our teacher totters in on unmanageably high heels.

Somewhere in the room Clove snickers, sending Thresh and I a little grin. It's no secret that Clove and Mrs. Ryan don't get along.

"I don't want you to fight on Friday." Katniss finally whispers as Mrs. Ryan puts a DVD in the player.

I look down at her, shock written plainly across my face. It isn't something the Katniss I know would say. She's chewing nervously on her lip, looking up at me with pleading grey eyes.

"Why not Kat?" I ask slowly, trying to wrap my mind around why she doesn't want me to fight.

"He's out of your weight class Cato, and don't even try to act dumb, I know Brutus couldn't get you a fight in your own class. I just don't want to see you get hurt. It's just that everyone I get close to leaves, and I don't want to see that happen." She won't look me in the eyes after she speaks; her eyes make a beeline for the dirty carpeting. I sit silently for a second, contemplating my answer. Why is she so worried, she knows I'll be fine. She knows how hard I've worked to get this fight.

"Kat, you're not being serious are you?" I whisper over the sound of WWII being played on the documentary in front of us. She still refuses to look up at me.

"I am, Cato you don't understand." She whispers, reaching her hand up to cup my cheek. It's a welcome, yet rare, display of affection that I've grown to know she only does when she's worried or scared.

"Hey, I'm going to fight. We need to money Kat, I know if you were in this position you would take the fight." I respond with all seriousness, never taking my eyes off of her small frame.

Her head hangs in shame, and for the first time she looks up at me with a conflicted look in her steely eyes.

"What is it?" I ask in a warning tone, earning me a sharp shush from Mrs. Ryan.

"I already took a fight." She looks at me and bites her lip again, flinching when I practically throw my arms down on the desk.

"You what?" I hiss at her. Not this, she can't be beat up in front of my face. Why didn't she tell me? She can't. My mind races with thoughts of her bloodied on the ground. The rational parts of my mind argue back and forth, telling me I should know better, that she's a real boxer, and a boxer like her won't be held back. But then the protective part of me wants to keep her safe, not let anyone touch her.

"I said I'm fighting." She challenges me, annoyance shining through in her now fiery eyes.

"Katniss, maybe you should wait a while, let us figure out the money situation, you know we will figure everything out. I'll take care of it, just like I take care of you." I lick my lips, offering her a small smile that comes off as more of a pained grimace.

"I don't think you get it, I'm going to fight no matter what. I don't need people to take care of me. I take care of myself." She hisses at me, her face flashing with a red hot anger.

"Then you understand why I have to fight." I look straight through her rough exterior, seeing past the show to the little girl that hides inside of her. She's just as lonely and lost as any other person in the world.

A course of pity runs through me as I look at Katniss in a new light. Part of me wants to reach out and hold her like she lets me when the nightmares run chills through her back, or when we're the only ones in the house and we sit on the couch together, reveling in each other's close proximity.

"I know, just promise me you will be safe." She whispers over the movie, looking directly into my eyes. I can see every bit of vulnerability shine through her, and in that moment I realize that this is more than just some schoolboy crush. I'm in love with Katniss Everdeen.

I'm in love with everything about her. I'm in love with her small smiles, in love with the way she chews on the ends of her braid, and bites the edges of her lip. I love the fact that she is more than just any other girl. She's on fire; she's my fire, my girl on fire.

As I look at her with new eyes I respond, sucking in a deep breath "I promise you, I'm never going to leave you alone."

She has no idea what those words really mean, and she has no idea how deep I'm in. I'm in love with her.

**Hey I hope you enjoyed this little chapter, I can't wait to write a scene from the fights. It will probably be next chapter! I'm so excited to write it!**

**I hope you guys have had an enjoyable few weeks! I would love to hear how everyone is! I love hearing from you guys. **

**As Always, if you have a story that you want me to check out, I for shizzle will!**

**If it isn't a bother I would love for everyone to check out Fixed and Confessions of a Victim. They will both explain a lot about ME and who I am. **

**Love to All,**

**Dedicated**


	15. Chapter 15

Hello Everyone,

Dedicated speaking, I have not updated in ages, and yes, before you lay into me, I have real reasons.

I have been in the hospital stuck in a morphine induced high that included talking dragons named Buttons and Danger, and you guessed it, Nick Jonas making a surprise appearance as my husband along with Jake from state farm. So unless you wanted chapters full of crazy talk, you should be happy I haven't updated.

Secondly, my little brother is very ill. I am flying out to Philly for many more hospital appointments and tests with my family. I don't know how many of you are religious, but if you are, I would appreciate some prayers or thoughts. My little brother is my life, and seeing him sick has been one of the hardest things in the world.

I am working on writing new chapters, but as of now, until JULY all of my stories are on hold until I can get life organized. I'm sure you all will be _**VERY**_ understanding.

Love to All,

DedicatedWallflower


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